


^'.0* \. ..... ^, 




















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HISTORY OF 



m^ftmater Halkg 



BY W . B . LENOIR 




SWEETWATER, TENNESSEE 



' <l) ■■/ 



PRESBYTERIAN COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION, Publishers, 

Richmond, Va., 1916. 

Copyright, 1916, by W. B. Lenoir. 



Richmond Press, Inc., Printers. 



m ?7 1917 



r7 



©ebication 



To the natives of this valley and their 
descendants, wherever found; to the ad- 
mirers of strength and loveliness of char- 
acter, to the lovers of the beautiful in na- 
ture, to those who delight in fertility of 
soil and seek healthfulness of clime, this 
book is respectfully dedicated. 



preface 



In this book can be found sermons and songs, humor 
and pathos, history and philosophy, geology and ge- 
nealogy, and a great fund of information. If you do 
not find these, do not blame me. It is your deficiency, 
not mine. 

Yours egotistically, 

W. B. Lenoir. 



EXPLANATORY NOTES 

In setting forth the genealogical tables in this work to attain 
clearness and prevent puzzling the mind of the readers. I have used 
the following method: 

One, Two, Three, etc., placed in front of names are children of ai 
least one common parent. 

1, 2, 3, etc., are children of One, Two, Three, etc. 

(1), (2), (3), etc., are children of 1, 2, 3, etc. 

a, b, c are children of (1), (2), (3), etc. 

(a), (b), (c), etc., are children of a. of a, b, c. etc. 

Abbreviations used are: 
b for born, 
m for married, 
d for died. 



FOREWORD 



My purpose as given in the Stveetwater TelepJione, a 
weekly paper published at Sweetwater, Tenn., was set 
forth in what follows: 

I contemplate writing a history of the early settle- 
ment of Sweetwater Valley, at least that part of it which 
includes the location of the town of Sweetwater and as 
much adjacent territory up and down the valley as far 
as I am able. My intention, also, is to take in as much 
of the country east of Sweetwater Ridge and west of 
Black Oak Ridge as was embraced formerly in the first 
civil district of Monroe County. This history, if it can 
be dignified. by that name, will contain sketches of the 
people of this section of the long ago, whether they per- 
manently remained here or removed to other parts of 
the country; and give genealogical table of the princi- 
pal families; of the condition of the valley at the first 
settlement; then when the railroad was built, graded 
and finished. We wdll try to trace the gradual growth 
of the town, and tell of the people wherever coming from 
who helped to make it what it is. We, who live in this 
da3% are much indebted to George Washington and the 
founders of this republic for many of the blessings we 
enjoy; but we who live here or have lived here, owe 
a far greater debt to those who dug and built, toiled and 
legislated for us in this our own valley. Those of the 
present generation who find improvements and re- 
sources ready made to hand often fail to think what is 
due to those who occupied and acted before us. This 
is to us an unearned and unpaid for increment. The peo- 
ple of this valley before the war did not incur bonded 
indebtedness for their descendants to pay. It is well 
that they did not then, for after the losses during the 
Civil War, their condition would have been indeed de- 
plorable. Considering what they had to do aforetime 
they could have well been excused for bonding the coun- 
ty, but such was not the policy pursued. 

When the Hiwassee, the district in which we live, was 
surveyed and sold in quarter sections, there were no 
Indians to fight and the country was not a lawdess one, 



6 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

but roads were to be made, schoolhouses and churches 
to be built and at the same time the settlers had to pre- 
pare for themselves homes and get the land in a state 
fit for cultivation. Then the inhabitants of this valley 
not only raised what they ate and drank, except coffee, 
water and salt, but also made their own wearing ap- 
parel and produced the material for the garments and 
made their own wagons and farm implements. A black- 
smith or a shoemaker was as valuable an asset in the 
community as a school teacher or a doctor. Thus neigh- 
bors were in a great measure dependent one upon the 
other; they swapped work and materials when money 
was not plentiful. This begot a feeling of common 
brotherhood and helpfulness, that nowadays is almost 
impossible to exist in our state of society. 

Wlien the East Tennessee and Georgia Railway 
depot (now the Southern) was located on the lot of land 
where the present depot now stands, within the radius 
of a half mile there lived Daniel Heiskell, John Ram- 
sey, the Axleys, John Fine, Charles Owen, Henry Mayes 
and the Biggs, and within a mile or about that distance 
Josiah K. Johnson, Robert Snead, John Fryar, John 
Bowman, I. T. Lenoir, Sterling Neil, John and Charles 
Lotspeich. These were all farmers and got their mail 
at "Facility," postoffice at Reagan's, and Philadel- 
phia. Some of those mentioned above had considerable 
families; all of them, however they might differ about 
religion and politics, were high-toned, honorable, public- 
spirited men — acted in concert and formed an almost 
ideal nucleus for a to^m. Some of those living farther 
away in the valley and across the ridges in the opposite 
valleys had almost, if not quite, as much to do with the 
upbuilding of the towai as those mentioned. 

The plan of these citizens in town-making was not to 
lay off a number of lots, exploit and advertise the place, 
get up an excursion, knock off to the highest bidder, 
for speculative purposes, but to get such people to come 
and live here as would become honorable and useful 
citizens and whom they could associate with on terms 
of perfect equality. 

In getting up data for this work, I have spent much 
time at Madisonville examining the public records. The 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATEB VA1.LEY 7 

only office in which I found them at all satisfactory was 
that of register of deeds. Many of the records in the 
clerk and master's, the circuit court and the county 
court clerk's offices are missing or destroyed. The old 
court-house was burned in 1864, therefore the loss of 
the records is not due to ineft'iciency in past or present 
officers holding those places, but partly to the destruc- 
tion of the court-house and partly to the fact that no 
vault or proper places had been prepared for their safe- 
keeping. The vaults we now have in the new court- 
house at Madisonville are much too small and will soon 
be filled up. 

Even the marriage records in the county court clerk's 
office are far from complete. 

It is not until quite recently that it has been made 
obligatory by the State laws to keep a record of births, 
which has been the practice for a thousand years in 
England. TTius, the children of many prominent people 
could not prove by the public records their title to much 
valuable property were it to be disputed, unless by 
parole evidence. For these reasons the gathering of 
data for what I wish to do through sources open to the 
public, is a matter of much difficulty. I shall have to 
rely in a great measure on the assistance of those who 
personally know or have private sources of information 
about the subject and people of whom I wish to be in- 
formed. 

It is not my purpose now, but may be later on, to bring 
records nearer to the present than 1867. From that time 
on to the present is much plainer sailing and can be 
done by any painstaking individual. Any facts not re- 
corded in public offices or newspapers can easily be ob- 
tained from private individuals. 

There were also very few even weekly newspapers 
published in this section in olden times and those did 
not deal much in personalities, or rather personals. 
Their columns were devoted mostly to news to be found 
on the first page of the newspapers published to-day 
and to the discussion of public men and measures. Now 
we . can take the daily Knoxville and Chattanooga 
papers, with the assistance of the weekly papers pub- 
lished in places between, and compile the history of the 
community for any period desired. 



History of Sweetwater Valley 



ABOUT HISTORY— WHO SHOULD ATTEMPT TO 

WRITE IT. 

One makes a statement. It is either true or false; 
or it may contain elements of both truth and error. 
Owing to the fallibility of human memory, the tempta- 
tion to distort for interest or effect, the want of proper 
information, the lack of time for investigation, mis- 
statements of one kind or another are nearly always 
found in a lengthy article. 

If real persons are written about and what is pub- 
lished purports to be facts, we call it history or 
biography. If the people or narratives are imaginary 
we call it fiction. If animals other than men are told 
about, it is usually termed natural history. If inanimate 
things treated of, it is physics. 

To be a satisfactory historian, one should have a dis- 
criminating, impartial mind, be a patient investigator, 
able to sift the false from the true, having good powers 
of observation, should not be swayed by malice or led 
to too much adulation by friendship or admiration. 

In addition to this he should have such a command 
of language as to make his meaning clear, using con- 
cise sentences composed of simple words, able to be un- 
derstood by people of average intelligence. No sentence 
should be ambiguous or susceptible of two meanings; 
but each should be written so that the sense cannot be 
changed by punctuation. If pains are taken by a good 
writer, this can be done. 

Unfortunately the English language abounds in words 
of the same sound which when spelled differently have 
different meanings. This is why the phonetic system 
cannot be adopted for many years (if at all) in a his- 
tory or scientific treatise. Also when a word is used 
in a restricted sense, explanation is sometimes neces- 
sary. 

The word *Svater" in common language may mean 
any one of several things, fresh, salt, pure, impure, et 



10 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

cetera. To the chemist or druggist, water means a 
liquid formed from hydrogen and oxygen gases com- 
bined in certain proportions and expressed in chemical 
language, H..0. It can exist in three forms, solid, liquid 
and gaseous. In the open air at sea level at a tempera- 
ture of 32 degrees (Fahrenheit) and below, it is a solid 
(ice or snow), above 32 degrees and up to 212, it is a 
liquid (water), above 212 and up to an exceeding high 
temperature, it is a gas (steam). Pure water, when 
taken into the stomach, quenches thirst and is health- 
ful, when taken into the lungs in sufficient quantities, 
destroys life. These facts are known to humanity in 
general, the knowledge of which is necessary to the 
preservation and comfort of the human race, therefore 
this is the most useful and highest form of knowledge. 
It has also the advantage of being able to be verified 
by the individual observer. The study of physics is 
more exact than that of history. Each individual drop 
of water under like circumstances acted, acts and will 
act the same manner yesterday, to-day and forever. 
Not so the individual people of even a limited section 
of country, although they may be of the same race and 
living under the same government and subject to the 
same human laws. When taken as a mass, however, 
we can formulate a general rule of conduct. 

"We assert as a fact that the East Tennessee moun- 
taineer resists oppression and is quick to resent an in- 
sult; still this is not true of every individual, but only 
of the large majority. Any doubter can experiment and 
see what happens. 

So much about how a history should be written. I 
have been asked more than once what good is there 
in delving into the past of this section and attempting 
to place the result before the public. The question is 
pertinent. Everyone should have a good reason for his 
actions. If what is written becomes a part of the record 
of the country in which he lives and is untrue, it helps 
to perpetuate error, which is undesirable. The Barbara 
Frietchie incident has been embalmed in story and song 
to such an extent that, though proved a hundred times 
to have no foundation in fact, is usually believed and 
accepted as history. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY H 

Even mere annals or the relation of dry facts have 
their uses. For instance, two persons, William Brow- 
der and Thornton C. Goddard, residing within a mile of 
each other, reached almost the century mark in age. 
Several things could and ought to be inferred there- 
from ; that the section they lived in was healthful ; that 
there was much of clean living and thinking in the in- 
dividuals themselves, to say nothing of clean eating and 
drinking; that their parents before them gifted them 
with good constitutions, sound minds in sound bodies. 
What does it profit a man if he gains a million dollars 
and fails to transmit to his children the mental and 
physical capacity to use and enjoy in a proper manner 
the wealth he leaves them! 

We, as people, are anxious to get the pedigree of 
the donkey, and trace his ancestry back to the Anda- 
lusian mountains, to know that our horses have their 
origin in the desert of Arabia, our cows came from Jer- 
sey, that our breed of chickens came from the Isle of 
Minorca or from Cochin, China, our ducks from Pekin, 
our hogs from Berkshire, and our hound dogs from 
Virginia or Pennsylvania. This is all right and proper 
and no objection is registered. But there are some who 
seem to think their own people and the acts of long ago 
are of no importance. Such an one usually miscalls 
himself a self-made man. He acknowledges no indebted- 
ness to the past. He is of himself, by himself and for 
himself. Such an one is not likely to maj^e sacrifices 
for the community in which he lives; he will not rush 
into the breach to save his country ; if he sheds his blood 
it will be by proxy. 

I know there are those, because of inherited wealth 
and family prestige, wdio consider themselves better 
than others and think that they are exempt from toil 
and trouble and ought to be granted special privileges. 
This spirit is to be deplored wherever found. I am 
glad to say there has been and is little of this in our 
valley. The very opposite should be the case. If one's 
ancestors took a prominent place in school, society, 
church or State, it is his duty to maintain its traditions 
and not have it said the family died with his mother or 
father. 



12 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Sentiment plays and ought to play an important part 
in our lives. It is well that such pieces as mentioned 
below belong to the mental make-up of the average 
school-boy : 

*' Breathes there a man with soul so dead." — Scott. 

"Oh, say, can you see in the dawn's early light?" — 
•Key. 

"This lovely land, this glorious liberty, these benign 
institutions, the dear purchase of our fathers." — Web- 
ster. 

"An exile from home pleasure dazzles in vain." — 
Payne. 

They have been said and sung to admiring audiences 
b}^ every school-boy. He cons them over day by day. 
These, in connection with the deeds of the good and 
great taught in history, help to make him a patriot and 
self-respecting citizen. If sentiment is lacking in a 
man's composition, he may think himself rich with ac- 
quired wealth, but he is really poor. He misses the best 
things in life. 



^& 



PREFATORY REFLECTIONS. 

When a magazine writer perpetrates a particularly 
unreasonable story, clear beyond the realms of possi- 
bility, he remarks nonchalantly (to use a popular expres- 
sion in vogue in our periodicals): "This illustrates 
how stranger is truth than fiction ; ' ' that is to say, more 
wonderful, marvelous and startling. Wonder is the 
child of ignorance and superstition. Also the things 
we see happen daily and hourly we take little notice 
of; they occasion no surprise. We stare at the aviator 
who rises in his spiral flight ; we accept as common- 
place the soaring of the bird, though the latter is far 
more wonderful. We are pleased to see the order of 
things reversed, the man to ascend triumphantly into 
the empyrean and the whirring bird to tumble at the 
shot of the expert. The commonplace does not attract 
us. We care not to see a man walk on his feet however 
gracefully he may carry himself, but we applaud when 
ho stands on his head on the trapeze bar and kicks 
his heels in the air. We have heard so much of the 
serj)ent charming the ancient Eve in the garden of Para- 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 13 

dise, ''the cause of oiir woe and the loss of Eden," that 
we cheerfully spend a dime in the side show to see the 
modern Eve charm the serpent. We feel that evens 
things up. Then we part with fifty cents in the big 
show to observe how the fierce monarch of the forest 
cowers under the lash of the animal trainer. He may 
be as gentle as a kitten but he roars as if he could eat 
up a whole menagerie. He knows his business : no roar, 
no meat. If the public but knew the facts in the case, 
minus would be the blood-curdling thrills so dear to the 
feminine heart, and the ''barker" at the entrance would 
be hunting another job. 

The man was not far wrong who said : 

"This world is but a fleeting show (traveling circus) 
For man's illusion given." 

And while the clown in the ring is convulsing our 
country cousins his child may be dying in the dressing- 
room. The cop on the corner says, "Move on"; we 
can't stop. 

But if I thought that it would be necessary to resort 
to the bizarre, to palm off fiction for truth, to give an 
undue value to small things or to belittle the great to 
make an interesting and instructive history of our valley 
and its people, I would be far from attempting to write 
it. Mistakes will necessarily be made, but they will 
not be intentional and ever^^ pains and means within 
my power will be taken to avoid them. Statements 
merel^^ probable will be given as such. 

What truth is, what life is, have never been satis- 
factorily answered by philosophers and chemists. 

There are hundreds of definitions but they are all 
mostly juggling with words. It is folly for us to attempt 
it. For our own purposes, which we premise is purely 
arbitrary, we shall divide the kinds of truth as follows : 

1. Axiomatic. — Such as "A straight line is the 
shortest distance between two points." Not susceptible 
of proof but acknowledged. 

2. Mathematical.— ^'Certsim properties of the right 
angle triangle." These you can prove by experiment. 

3. Moral. — Philanthropy or love as a ruling power 
for the world is preferable to hatred. One is construc- 
tive, the other is destructive. 



14 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

4. Historical. — Dependent upon the accuracy of the 
written and spoken testimony of observers and the 
works of man extant. 

5. Financial (mathematical also) — If a section raises, 
gets and keeps within its borders more of w^ealth than 
it exports, then it will eventually become rich. The 
problem of political economy is to exchange the perish- 
able that you cannot use for the more or less imperish-; 
able. Simple enough in stating but not easy in practice. 

As to rules of evidence, about which hundreds of 
volumes have been written, time and space are the prin- 
cipal factors: that is to say, that no two bodies can 
occupy the same space at the same time, nor can any- 
body be in two separate places at the same time. 

If John Smith committed an act, then the remainder 
of the world is absolved from that particular action.. 

If John Jones was in Sweetwater when a man was 
hit by a baseball bat in Philadelphia, then it naturally 
follows that John Jones was not the hitter. 

Furthermore, for the doing of any act, whether termed 
good or bad, there must be present motive, opportmiity 
and ability. This applies to other animals as well as 
men. These things are A-B-C's to the legal fraternity 
and to a great many others; how^ever, a statement of 
the same stripped of legal verbiage may not be inapt. 

These state some of the general plans of the history, 
the specifications will come later. 

THE TESTIMONY OF THE ROCKS IN SWEET- 
WATER VALLEY. 

In speaking of a valley, writers usually mean the 
surface drained by some particular stream and its tribu- 
taries. Sweetwater Creek takes its rise partly from 
some large springs on the east side of Sweetwater 
Ridge, the waters from which run westward through a 
low gap in the ridge, joining with other streams in the 
valley, which have their sources near Reagan's. Below 
Philadel])liia, two miles, the creek breaks through the 
Black Oak Ridge, and empties into the Tennessee River 
on the west side of the ridge. 

Our use of the term, *' Sweetwater Valley," includes 
the territory between Sweetwater and Black Oak 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 15 

Ridges from the summit or divide of the waters run- 
ning southwest to Mouse Creek and those running north- 
east, forming Sweetwater Creek, to where those ridges 
strike Tennessee River near Loudon. The divide is 
about midway between Reagan's Station and Niota. 
The valley proper is about eighteen miles long and a 
scant two miles in width. The stations and towns in- 
cluded in the valley are Reagan's, Sweetwater, Phila- 
delphia and Loudon. The name "Summit" was given 
to the point on the old East Tennessee and Georgia 
Railroad as being the highest on that railway between 
Knoxville, Tenn., and Dalton, Ga. 

"Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night 
showeth knowledge." The firmament, the stars have 
not human language but to the reverent listener they 
sing together as at creation's dawn, flashing their 
vibrant message of light through the ether, repeating 
o'er and o'er the story of their birth to the uttermost 
confines of space. 

There is not a rock, tree or flower that has not a tale 
of its own to tell. Observe them, read them! What 
they have to say far surpasses in interest the novel or 
the yellow journalism of the day; for their story is a 
true one. The testimony of the rocks, when rightly 
read, is unmistakable. There is no misprint, no typo- 
graphical error. You can lie about a rock, but it never 
lies about itself. It tells you plainly of what it is com- 
posed and how it was formed, whether by fire, water or 
air, whether its origin was igneous (volcanic) or sedi- 
mentary or a combination of the two. The imprint of 
the shell upon the limestone informs jon what animals 
lived in the deeps at that period. Break it, powder it 
even, like the shattered rose vase, it will speak to your 
senses still of what it once held. 

The geology of the surface of Sweetwater Valley is 
not complex. The stratifications dip at no great angle 
from the horizontal. They have been subjected to but 
few folds or "faults." They are almost entirely sedi- 
mentary, formed by water, and are not extremely varied 
in their character. In common language (we try not to 
use chemical and geological terms unless absolutely 
necessary) it is a limestone region. The formation is 
neither very hard nor very soft. It is, however, hard 



16 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

enough to prevent the streams from wearing away deep 
channels, as is notably the case with some of the rivers 
in the State of Kentucky and in some instances in the 
middle basin of Tennessee, and yet not of sufficient 
hardness to prevent the gradual weathering of the 
strata. These thus become part of the soil, enriching 
it and furnishing food for plant life. For this reason 
also we have no sharp, conical peaks as in shale regions, 
but the hills present to the eye a beautifully rounded 
contour. Nor are the ridges of great altitude above the 
intervening valleys. Massive and majestic mountain 
chains, like the IJnaka or Blue Ridge, are formed of 
more durable material, such as the granites, the shales 
and the sandstones, which are far more slowly deroded 
by the action of air and water. 

Although many thousands of compounds are known 
to chemists and an almost infinite number possible, they 
reduce on analysis to a small group of substances which 
are called ''elements," merely meaning by this term, the 
simplest form to which any compound can be reduced. 

There are now (1913) known to chemists eighty ele- 
ments. Sixteen of these have been discovered in the last 
forty years. Several of the late discoveries belong to 
the radium group, with which, however interesting they 
may be, we have nothing to do. 

The elements differ widely in their abundance and in 
their distribution in nature. In speaking of the geologi- 
cal formation of Sweetwater Valley we have to deal 
with a few only of these elements. The metals found 
in the rocks in our valley with their chemical symbols 
in brackets are given below: 

Aluminum (Al), Carbon (C), Calcium (Ca), Iron 
(Fe), Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), Phosphorus 
(P), Potassium (K), Silicon (Si), Sodium (Na) and 
Sulphur (S). 

Gases: Oxygen (0), Nitrogen (N), Hydrogen (H) 
and Chlorine (CI). 

Aluminum — The most abundant of all metals. One 
of the constituents of our red clay and an essential con- 
stituent of all important rocks except sandstones and 
limestones. It occurs only in oxidized compounds. 

Calcium — Next to aluminum the most abundant metal 
in Sweetwater Valley. Our limestone is a calcium car- 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 17 

bonate. Our marble is a crystallized calcium carbonate. 

Carbon — The characteristic element of organic mat- 
ier; trees, plants, flesh, etc. Diamond is crystallized 
carbon ; anthracite coal also nearly pure carbon. 

Iron — Occurs as an oxide in the valley and ridges; 
also is found in small quantities as a sulphide. Brown 
iron ore on Black Oak Ridge north of Sweetwater; red 
fossiliferous ore (hematite) in many places in the 
vallej^ Much has been mined and shipped. 

Manganese found in nodules ; also in combination with 
the oxide of iron and gives to the latter its bluish cast. 
Valuable as an alloy in the making of steel. 

Magnesium — Best known to our fathers and mothers 
as common epsom salts, which is magnesium sulphate. 
This salt is very soluble and is, therefore, found in 
many mineral waters. The carbonate forms part of 
magnesia n limestone, which is fairly abundant in our 
valley. It is commonly called dolomite, which is some- 
times tinted pink or brown, and is unlike the blue lime- 
stone. Limestone containing a large percentage of mag- 
nesium is not suitable for being burned into the lime of 
commerce. 

Phosphorus — Important constituent of many plants 
and also in combination with oxygen and lime forms the 
greater part of the bones of animals. Found in the 
limestones in our valley in small quantities. However, 
there are no great beds of phosporites in our valley as 
in middle Tennessee. When cereals requiring a large 
amount of phosphorus are cultivated from year to year 
on the same land, the phosphorus should be supplied 
in some shape to the soil. Phosphorus oxidizes with 
a light. Notice faint light from rotting wood in damp 
weather. 

We have said already that the prevailing metals in 
the rocks of the valley were Aluminum (Al), Calcium 
(Ca), Carbon (C), Iron (Fe), Magnesium (Mg), Man- 
ganese (Mn), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Silicon 
(Si), Sodium (Na) and Sulphur (S). 

We have discussed these in a brief manner above with 
the exception of the last four. We have yet to speak of 
the gaseous elements. Oxygen (0), Hydrogen (H) and 
Chlorine (CI). These are not liquid at ordinary tern- 



18 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

perature, but all of tlie gases may be liquefied by intense 
cold and pressure. 

Potassium — Found mostly in the igneous rocks; 
though in small cpantities in the sedimentary rocks of 
our valley. It is a constituent of most terrestrial 
v/aters. It is found in the ash of woods, especiallyr 
hickory ash, also a constituent of many plants. 

Silicon — Next to ox^^gen the most abundant of all the 
elements on the earth, yet in our own vallej^ it is far 
exceeded in quantity by calcium. It exists in all well, 
river and spring waters. It is readily taken up by 
plants and gives to the stem of not a few of them their 
■strength and resisting power. Quartz is a silicon 
•dioxide. It crystallizes hexagonally. Almost every one 
lias seen these semi-transparent crystals, though not 
plentiful here. They are often colored by various sub- 
stances. Quartz or sand when fused with sodium or 
potassium forms the glass of commerce. It is easily 
manufactured into various forms. The fact that it re- 
sists all acids, except h^'^drofluoric, a rare acid, makes 
it almost a necessity in our daily life. Quartz in some 
localities forms great boulders and cliffs ; found in our 
valley only in small quantities. 

Sodium — Is a constituent of all oceans and closed 
lakes, usually as a solution of common salt, chloride of 
sodium, invaluable to humanity as an antiseptic. It 
exists in small quantities in rain water and the air, de- 
creasing rapidly in proportion as we recede from the 
oceans. Very little sodium in any form is found in 
Sweetwater Valley rocks. 

Sulphur — Sulphides and sulphates are not common in 
our valley. Sulphuret of iron (pyrite) in small particles 
is found imbedded in our limestone. This is in color 
a bright yellow of cubical crystallization and is some- 
times mistaken for gold, therefore occasionally called 
"fool's gold." This is plentiful in copper regions, being 
a portion of most copper ores. Sulphate of lime is the 
gypsum of commerce, very little of which is found here. 
It is soft and easily ground. 

Barium — Little in our valley, though in valleys eas-t 
and west of us it is abundant ; there found in the form 
of a sulphate, barytes (Ba So 4). Large quantities have 
been shipped from the different railway shipping points 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 19 

in our valley. It is principally valuable in the manu- 
facture of paints. 

We have now discussed briefly the important mineral 
elements of our valley soil, we will say something of the 
gaseous elements. They are found surrounding the 
earth. Not knowing the composition of the atmosphere 
we would be ignorant of one of the principal sources of 
plant and animal life. Where there is no atmosphere 
there can be no life such as we know here. For this 
reason astronomers believe that the moon is perfectly 
sterile. Our atmosphere is not a chemical compound 
but a mechanical mixture. 

The principal constituents are three gases given be- 
low: 

Chemical Percentage Pei-centage 

symbol. by weight. by volume 

Oxygen 23.024 20.941 

Nitrogen N 75.539 78.122 

Argon Ar 1.437 .937 



100.000 100.000 

The last, argon, is an inert gas not found in com- 
bination with any other element. The reason for giving 
it is that its one and a half per cent, weight is far greater 
than any other element in the air with the exception of 
0. and N. given in table ; otherwise it need not be taken 
into account. The atmosphere, roughly speaking, is 
four-fifths nitrogen and one-fifth oxygen, mechanically 
mixed but chemically separate, ready to seize upon any- 
thing that either comes in contact with for which it has 
an affinity. 

As oxygen is heavier than nitrogen it would naturally 
be supposed that in the higher altitudes the percen- 
tage of oxygen would be less, however, numerous chem- 
ical analyses have shown the contrary to be the case; 
that the air in mountainous regions is richer in oxygen 
than those nearer the sea level. In addition to the ele- 
ments spoken of above the air contains in variable 
quantities the vapor of water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, 
sulphur, organic matter and other suspended solids and 
also innumerable animalculae or microbes. But it is 
these very constituents, or the absence of them, infinitely 
minor in weight and volume, that make a region desir- 



20 HISTORY OP SWEETWATER VALLEY 

able or possible to live in. A miasmatic exudation from 
a swamp might bring disease and death to numerous 
near-by people though neither in weight nor volume 
it composes one ten millionth of the atmosphere in 
that locality. Local conditions in a great measure deter- 
mine the proportion of these minor constituents. 
Wherever animals breathe and fire burns oxygen is with- 
drawn from the air and locked up in compounds. 
Wherever plants and trees grow oxygen is given out and 
carbon absorbed. Near iron furnaces and manufactories 
where a vast amount of coal is consumed there is a 
greater proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere ; 
near copper refining furnaces more sulphur ; near oceans 
and large bodies of water more aqueous vapor 
and chlorine. Volcanoes erupt many gases, some of 
them deadly, sometimes destroying plant and animal 
life near them. Oxygen is far the most abundant 
element in nature, constituting one-fifth of the atmos- 
phere, nearly seven-eighths of the waters, from 45 to 
53 per cent, of all important rocks, being almost one- 
half of terrestrial matter. The ''corroding tooth of 
time" is nothing more nor less than oxygen combining 
with other elements. In fact, gold, silver and copper 
are about the only metals of importance found in the 
free State. That is one reason probably why they were 
used as coins or standards of value long before chemis- 
try or even alchemy or processes of extracting metals 
from oxides and sulphurets were known. 

WHERE HUMANITY COULD MORE HAPPILY 

LIVE. 

Many writers have conceded that the ideal places for 
humanity to live, in especial the white race, would be 
in the United States, somewhere between 30 and 40 de- 
grees north latitude ; in a valley whose average elevation 
was not less than six hundred nor more than two thous- 
and feet above the sea level ; whose surrounding ridges 
abound in timber and ores; whose elevation above the 
valley is high enough to afford a convenient water sup- 
ply but not so high as to make transportation over them 
difficult; with a rainfall of not less than fifty inches nor 
more than (Mghty during the year, distributed somewhat 
equally in the seasons ; with enough incline in the valley 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 21 

to make good drainage, give the streams free course and 
also furnish water for power and other purposes ; with 
an average temperature of from sixty to seventy degrees 
Fahrenheit, and where there are not too sudden and 
extreme variations between seasons as in some parts of 
the Northwest; a valley where the thermometer rarely 
rises above 90° Fahrenheit or falls below 10° ; these ad- 
vantages, experience proves, makes a healthful climate 
and a valley capable of supporting a numerous and pros- 
perous people. There are more places in East Tennes- 
see that answer these conditions than any other section 
of country with which I am acquainted. No one 
of them is more ideal, in my opinion, than Sweetwater 
Valley. Different elevations, temperatures, waters and 
soils may suit different individuals but we are speaking 
of what would suit the average white man. We recog- 
nize the fact that there is no great stream running 
through our valley, there are no coal beds, no immense 
bodies of ores, and for these reasons small likelihood of 
there being in the near future any great city in our bor- 
ders ; however, most of us are not crazy on the subject of 
increase in population. We fail to see why people can- 
not get as much out of life in a town of 20,000 inhabi- 
tants as one of 200,000. We are not obliged to have' 
millionaires in our midst to be happy. Needless to say 
we have none. If congestion of wealth and ]jopulation 
is necessary to our happiness it is still possible to live 
in New York or London and China. The Chinese claim 
that their country is not yet full of people. There is 
no doubt though that Sweetwater Valley is capable of 
supporting several times the population it now has and 
at the same time exporting a large amount of products. 
Congestion is not likel}^ to occur for years to come. Yet 
at the same time there should be no fear but that we 
will not receive our proportion of .people seeking new 
locations. Thousands of people, and ones who will make 
splendid citizens, too, are on the hunt for such places 
as our valley affords. 

THE EARLIEST INHABITANTS OF OUR VALLEY. 

It is generally agreed by archaeologists and the delvers 
into antiquities that what are termed the mound 



22 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

builders are the most ancient inhabitants. They are so 
called because of their custom of erecting mounds in 
which to bury their dead. In supposed populous com- 
munities some of these mounds were very large, being 
sometimes as much as fifty to seventy-five feet higher 
than the surrounding territory. There used to be 
various mounds in Sweetwater Valley, none of them as 
far as I know were very large. There used to be a 
mound in the field of Mrs. Love, a short distance north 
of the old Sv>'eetwater Cemetery, and one in the field on 
the east side of the railroad, perhaps nearly a quarter 
of a mile from the one mentioned above. For a long 
time the soil upon them was very unproductive, and it 
could be easily seen exactly where they were located. 
Now they have been so plowed down, fertilized and cul- 
tivated that to ascertain their exact location is a matter 
of some difficulty. These mounds, so far as I know, 
were never dug into and the findings made a matter of 
record. They are, however, supposed to contain what 
was found in the mounds in this valley and in the valley 
of the little Tennessee River that have been examined 
and their contents preserved and classified. The United 
States government and various universities and his- 
torical societies have carried on a series of explorations 
for a number of years. The results of different ones 
differ in many points. However, there are other points 
in which most agree ; That the American Indian did not 
erect these mounds. If any tribe did it, it was the 
Cherokees. If they did build mounds it was for defense 
and not for burial purposes. Their burial customs are 
different. 

The skeletons and stone sepulchres show that the! 
mound-builders were rather small people, and hardly so 
large as the American Indians who inhabited this sec- 
tion. They belonged to the stone age. There is no evi- 
dence of their having used any metallic weapons or in- 
struments. They were sun worshippers, as shown by 
the position of the stone and slate sepulchres. In this 
they show their kinship to the Aztecs of Mexico. There 
are no remains here of temples, roads, aqueducts or 
prominent residences. It is doubtful if they ever used 
wood for building. There is no mark of sharp instru- 
ments in any of the oldest trees. 



HISTOEY OF SAVEETWATER VALLEY 23 

According to Thurston's Antiquities in some mounds, 
however, have been found bottles, spoons and cooking 
utensils of various characters, mostly earthenware. 
There are no inscriptions on these which have been de- 
ciphered, and it is presumed they had no written lan- 
guage. 

Their arrowpoints are simdar to those plowed up m 
the Roman Campagna, which far antedate any period of 
Roman history. 

So far there is no agreement of exactly when they 
inhabited this country, when they were driven away or 
destroyed, what was their color, race or nation. From 
my reading I infer that they were rather a small, war- 
like people, as shown by the weapons; were more civi- 
lized than the American Indians, l3ut not so much so as 
the Aztecs or the Arizona Cliff Dwellers; that they in- 
habited the bounds of the Hiwassee district in far 
greater numbers or for a longer period than did the 
Indian tribes; that the American Indians have no re- 
liable account even by tradition of what sort of people 
they were. 

When the mound builders disappeared, were de- 
stro3^ed or were assimilated is a matter of conjecture; 
probably more than five hundred years ago. For when 
Ponce de Leon landed in Florida in 1512 the Seminoles, 
a tribe of Indians, occupied that country and must have 
done so for many years. Later on in 1540 when De Soto, 
the discoverer of the Mississippi, started his wonderful 
invasion he found the Seminoles in Florida, and march- 
ing northwestward he encountered the Cherokees in 
what is now North Georgia. He wintered in Nacoochee 
Valley at the head of the Chattahooche River at the foot 
of Yonah, a peak of the Blue Ridge. Exactly what route 
he pursued from there to the Chickasaw Bluffs on the 
Mississippi River is uncertain. There are traditions of 
his passing through a part of western North Carolina. 
In Cherokee county in the Valley River Valley are the 
remains of old diggings and rude furnaces for the re- 
duction of ores, known as the De Soto mines. This was 
certainly not done by the Cherokee Indians, who held 
possession of that section, as they neither had the energy 
nor the appliances for such work ; nor was it done by the 



24 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

English white settlers since their occupation. There is 
one of two things probable; either part of De Soto's 
invading army, tiring of the hardships of the campaign, 
deserted and did this mining, and afterwards were 
killed or amalgamated with the tribe and lost to history 
like the colony of Sir Walter Ealeigh on Roanoke 
Island; or that the whole force of that commander^ 
crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains at the Yonah Gap at 
the head of the Hiwassee River in Towns county, Geor- 
gia, and thence marched down that river to the junction 
of the Hiwassee and Valley Rivers. Six miles above 
there is the site of the so-called "De Soto mines.'* 
There are not many streams in that section which have, 
not produced gold in paying quantities, nearly all got 
by placer mining. De Soto's object was evidently to 
gain fame and riches by repeating the conquest of 
Pizarro in Peru and Cortez in Mexico. 

How strange this lure and thirst for gold in all people 
and nations from the earliest "syllable of recorded 
time" down to the present! Most of the explorations, 
discoveries, inventions and the greater number of wars 
and crimes have been attributed to it. "The love of 
money," we are told, "is the root of all evil." If we 
can credit historians, man's main effort through the 
ages has been to get and keep gold, "hard to get and 
harder to hold. ' ' Nothing has ever induced him to part 
with it save the charms of woman — Anthony flinging 
the world away for the love of Cleopatra. 

When Croesus, the Lydian tyrant, showed Solon, the 
Athenian, the greatest hoard of gold then in existence, 
taken, it is said, from the sands of the River Pactolus, 
and asked him, "Ought I not to be happy?" Solon re- 
plied: "I call no man happy while living." How true 
it was in Croesus' case : The barbarian afterward over- 
came him and made him swallow his own molten gold. 
"You always wanted gold, now take this." Or as 
Herodotus gives it he was captured by Cyrus and sub- 
jected to torture and the greatest indignities. 

No great hoard of gold, no matter where placed or 
how carefully guarded, has ever been safe from the 
robber, the vandal and the pirate, and those who rob are 
often robbed in turn. What becomes of all the gold 
taken from the earth too is a mystery! Millions upon 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 25 

millions are buried in the depths of the ocean, as in 
the Titanic disaster. Great sums are in the teeth of 
people dead and living, but that has not been the case 
for long. Dentistry is comparatively a recent art. It 
must be that misers have hidden away innumerable 
treasures which have never been discovered. The 
greatest search for gold in history, undoubtedly on our 
own continent, taking into consideration the number en- 
gaged, was the ill-starred expedition of De Soto. 'Twas 
nothing to him to be the discoverer of the Father of 
Waters, naught cared he for the mighty forests, of the 
East, the immense, fertile plains of the West ; 'twas gold 
and gold only that he wanted. He and his followers 
preferred that their bones bleach in the unknown wilder- 
ness rather than to return to Hispania with their 
galleons unladen with "barbaric pearls and gold." The 
Jamestown colonists found "fool's gold," iron pyrites 
and took it to England. The Carolina colonists spent 
their first efforts in search for gold. These finally found 
something far more precious: "Liberty" and home. 
There was a rush to California for search for the 
precious metal. It so happens that the products now 
from that State in one year even, exclusive of gold, are 
worth more than all the gold ever taken out of it. 
Alaska's gold is but a drop in the bucket to the iron, 
coal, the copper and the furs of the animals in her bor- 
der; but little was said of anything but gold until the 
other resources were about all gobbled up by a favored 
few. 

In 1896 we had what some called the "silver craze." 
Wrong, all wrong. It was just the old time greed for 
gold. It was this struggle: The men who had silver 
wanted gold for it, and those who had gold were de^ 
termined to keep what they had. Gold won, as it nearly 
always does one way or another. Every intelligent per- 
son acknowledges that, except as a medium of exchange, 
it is far less useful to humanity than iron, tin or copper 
and it is not near so indestructible as most people 
imagine. It is easily abraded on account of its softness. 
There are numerous natural solvents of gold, as sho^vn 
by its wide distribution by deposition and the finding 
of it in a great variety of rocks and soils. Some sup- 
pose aqua regia the only solvent for gold. By no means 



26 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

true. Even so mild a solvent as ten per cent, solution 
of sodium carbonate is capable of dissolving it, though 
but slowly. But people love gold on earth below, 
wiiether wisely or foolishly seems to matter not; and 
it is the opinion of many writers and speakers that we 
will love it in heaven above. If not, why is so much 
stress laid on the golden streets and the golden crowns 
the elect are to receive, as if it were impossible to attain 
perfect bliss in the New Jerusalem without the sight of 
the yellow metal? Exactly what use the disembodied 
or re-embodied spirits would have for a crown (for 
whom would they govern there?), or why it should in- 
crease their happiness to walk on the streets of gold is 
not explained. 

However, we return to the expedition of De Soto. If 
he came in his march to where Murphy, N. C, is now, 
two routes to Alabama and Mississippi, which territories 
he is known to have traversed, were feasible: one down 
the Hiwassee River and the Tennessee Valley to Ala- 
bama ; the other to strike the little Tennessee by way of 
some of its tributaries, thence down it to Chilhowee Gap. 
From there on to Alabama, Mississippi and the Chick- 
asaw Bluffs the march would not present very great 
topographical difficulties. 

THE CHEROKEES. 

From the time of De Soto to 1700 we have no history 
of the Cherokees. Ramsey's Annals, page 78, says: 
*' Early French explorers aver that the Shawnees, a 
powerfully and unusually intelligent tribe of Indians 
(in 1700), occupied the comitry from the Tennessee 
River in west Tennessee to the Cumberland Mountains. 
They were driven out by the Cherokees or Creeks, pos- 
sibly both, and went north and were incorporated with 
the Six Nations. 

"When the pioneers settled in Southwest Virginia and 
the coterminous part of North Carolina, those sections 
liad ceased to be, probably never had been, the settled 
residence of the modern aboriginal tribes. It was used 
as the common hunting ground of the Shawnees, Chero- 
kees and other Southern Indians. East and north of 
the Tennessee to the Ohio there was not a single Indian 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 27 

hut. The Choctaws, Chickasaws and Cherokees, how- 
ever, of the South, used to engage in war with the Miami 
confederacy of the North. In their excursions they no 
doubt had certain trails which they were accustomed to 
travel. ' ' 

The Uchees were a small tribe which once occupied the 
country near the mouth of the Hiwassee River. Their 
warriors were exterminated in a desperate battle with 
the Cherokees. This took place at ''old fields" in Rhea 
county sometime between 1750-1775. The remainder of 
the tribe were incorporated with the Cherokees. 
*'Chera" in their language means fire. Chera-tage, men 
possessed of divine fire — of great courage. They were 
formidable alike for their numbers and their passion 
for war. When asked to make peace with the Tus- 
caroras, their reply was : "We cannot live without war. 
If we make peace with the Tuscaroras we must find 
some other tribe to war with. It is our occupation." 

According to Adair, in 1735 the Cherokees had sixty- 
four towns and could collect six thousand warriors. This 
included all the men not too old or too young to fight, 
which would probably be one-fourth of the population. 
In 15'50 there were not so many, they having been 
decimated by wars with the Creeks. 

(Ramsey, p. 89) : ''Little of the history of the Chero- 
kees can be ascertained from their traditions. These ex- 
tend little farther back than the early days of 0-ka-na- 
sto-to, their chief, who visited George II. of England. 
He was practically their king. His seat of government 
was E-cho-ta (more properly E-tsawty) on the Tellico 
River, which afterwards became the property of John 
McGhee. 

FORT LOUDON". 

After the visit of Okanastoto, Hugh Waddell, as com- 
missioner for North Carolina, negotiated a treaty with 
the Cherokees. In pursuance with that treaty. Governor 
Glenn erected a line of forts, the easternmost of which 
was Fort Loudon at the highest point of navigation on 
the south bank of Tennessee River, near the mouth of 
the Tellico, and on the east bank of this river. 

This fort was erected, Ramsay says, in 1756; Hay- 



28 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

wood gives the date at 1757. Tlie fort surrendered after 
a long siege on August 7, 1760, being besieged by the 
united forces of the Cherokee nation. The English were 
to be allowed to march to the white settlements un- 
molested. The marching consisted of men, women and 
children, amounting to about three hundred. They were 
treacherously assaulted and massacred about daylight on 
the morning of the 10th of August. They had marched 
about twenty miles up the Tellico River, which would 
bring them not far from the site of the terminus of the 
Athens and Tellico Railway, now a part of the Louis- 
ville and Nashville system. There were only three or 
four survivors. One of them escaped to the town of 
Chota. 

THE TOWN OF REFUGE. 

''Every Indian tribe," says Adair, ''had a town or 
house of refuge, which is a sure asylum to protect a man- 
slayer or an unfortunate captive if he can once enter 
it. Among the Cherokees Chota, about five miles above 
Fort Loudon, was their city of refuge. Thus passed 
Fort Loudon, the first place in the bounds of what is now 
Monroe county, that was inhabited by the whites.^ Tlie 
story has been told by numerous writers. Romance and 
truth have become so entangled that it is a matter of ex- 
treme difficulty to separate them. Wliat happened to 
those pioneers or early settlers forms one of the most 
interesting and pathetic stories in the annals of that 
time. 

After the fall of Fort Loudon the next we hear 
(historically) of the Cherokees was in 1769. They invad- 
ed the country of the Chicasaws beyond (west of) the 
Cumberland Mountains. They had what was called a 
bloody conflict. Not much is known of the battle except 
that the Cherokees w^ere defeated and retired to their 
own country. The Chickasaws were content with their 
victory and did not follow it up. "This defeat of the 
Cherokees," Ramsey remarks, "probably saved the 
Watauga settlement." Since the extinction of the gar- 
rison at Fort Loudon they had shown evidence of inten- 
tion of attacking it. 

A treaty was concluded at Fort (Patrick) Henry on 
the Holston (Hogehogee) River near Long Island, July 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 29 

20, 1777, between the commissioners of the State of 
North Carolina and the Overhill Indians. By this treaty 
the Indians conveyed the upper Holston from the moun- 
tains and the Nolichucky River to the Virginia line. It 
is not necessary to go into details which, anyhow as to 
exact territory, are somewhat vague. I refer to it more 
than any other reason as showing who the signers were 
to the instrument. 

Those on the part of North Carolina were Waightstill, 
Avery, William Sharp, Robert Lanier and Joseph Win- 
ston. The Indian signers were Oconostota, of Chota; 
Rayetawah (Old Tassel), of Toquoe; Savannech 
(Raven), of Chota; Quillanuwah, of Toquoe; Octossetch, 
of Hiwassee ; Attusah (Northward Warrior), of Mouth of 
Tellico ; Ooskuah or Abram, of Chilhowee ; Rollowah, of 
Tellico River; Toostook, of Tellico; Amoyah (Pigeon), 
of Notchey Creek; Oostosseteh (Man Killer), of Hiwas- 
see; Tellehaeveh (Chestnut), of Tellico; Que-lee-kah, of 
Hiwassee; Annakehujah, of Tuskeega; Suahtukah, of 
Citico; Atta-kulla-kulla (Little Carpenter), of Notchey 
Creek; Okoo Neekah (White Owl), of Notchey Creek; 
Kata Quilla (Pot Cloy), of Chilhowee; Tuskasah (Ter- 
rapin), of Chiles Toosch; Sumie Waugh (Big Island). 
The Indians made their marks. The witnesses were 
Jacob Womack, James Robins, John Reed, Isaac Bled- 
soe, Price Martin, John Kearns. Joseph Vann was in- 
terpreter. 

INDIAN NAMES OF MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS. 

Thus we see from the location or dwelling place of the 
principal men who signed this treaty tliat there were no 
Indian towns west of Notchey Creek. Ramsey aptly re- 
marks the Indian proper names and the appellation of 
the creeks and rivers were euphonious. The names of 
the mountain ranges were smooth and musical, such as 
Alleghanee. T'enasee, Chilhowee, Unaka, Chattanooga, 
Dumplin, Sandy Mush, Calf Killer, High Tower, Hangin' 
Dog, Beaver Dam, and even Sweetwater would grate 
harshly upon the ears of those who sang their war songs 
upon the banks of the Allejoy, Oustanallee, Etowah and 
Euphassee. 

The Tennessee River was so named from the Little 



30 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Tennessee River. By Tennessee River is meant that 
river from the Unaka Mountains and probably east- 
ward to the Tuckaseega and westward from its junction 
with the Holston clear to the mouth on the Ohio River. 
That is what the Tenasee River of the treaties means. 
The French called it Riviere des Cheraquis or Cos- 
quinambeaux ; the aborigines named it Kallamuchee. 
From Little Tennessee to French Broad, Agiqua (Racing 
River); Clinch, Pellissippi; Little River in Blount 
county, Canot ; Hiwassee, Euphassee. Right here I think 
it proper to say that there is absolutely no foundation 
for the spelling or pronunciation Hi-a-was-see. The 
mistake must have arisen from confounding the word 
Hiwassee (more properly Euphassee) with the Hiawatha 
of Longfellow''^ poem. The district was spelled Hiwas- 
see in the old survej^s, the river the same, the college 
always too. Dr. J. H. Brunner, former president of 
Hiwassee College, agrees that this is the correct spelling. 
I would not feel called upon to mention this attempted 
change in spelling, and also of pronunciation, had it not 
received the sanction of so high an authority as an ex- 
president of the United States. I am glad to say, how- 
ever, that his suggested changes in that line have not 
always met with eminent success; and I hope much that 
for the sake of preserving the real Cherokee names we 
have (I wish there were more), that this attempted 
change will also prove a failure. The Cumberland River 
was the Warioto, French name Chauvanon. We still 
have left the Indian names Lousatchie, Hatchee, Se- 
quachee, Ocoee, Conasauga, Chestua, Tellico (Psallico), 
Watauga and others. Watauga (properly, Waugh- 
taugah) signifies many island's, the river of islands. Hay- 
wood says in his History of Tennessee that the Holston, 
from its confluence with the Tennessee at what is now 
Lenoir City upward to the French Broad, was known 
as Watauga to the Cherokees. Until 1889 it was Big 
Tennessee from the junction of the Holston and Little 
Tennessee to its mouth. By an act of the General As- 
sembly, approved April 6, 1889, it was enacted as fol- 
lows: ''That the Tennessee extend from its junction 
with the Ohio River at Paclucah, Ky., past the Clinch 
and French Broad Rivers to the junction of the north 
fork of the Holston River with the Llolston at Kings- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 31 

port in Sullivan county, Tenn., all usages to the contrary 
notwithstanding. ' ' 

It is greatl}^ surprising that the Cherokee Indians, 
whose language was so musical, attempted so little in 
the way of song and had no musical instruments at all, 
unless the tom-tom and the rattle can be called so. Their 
chants and war songs were far from pleasing to the 
ear of the pioneer even though he did not happen to be 
tied to a stake during the ceremonial. Little of the 
Cherokee music so called has been preserved, and in an 
artistic sense is no loss. One hymn called '^Lamenta- 
tion," found in some of the old hymn books published 
in East Tennessee, is said to be an Indian air adapted 
to some English words. 

Francis S. Mitchell, Athens, Ga., in Confederate 
Veteran of July, 1916 : 

The aborigines lived so near the heart of nature that 
they learned her secrets and were unconscious poets. 
Their language, abounding in vowels, was soft and musi- 
cal. Every proper noun had a meaning that was sig- 
nificant and often wonderfully poetic, as Cohuttan 
(Frog Mountain), Tallulah (Terrible), Toccoa (Beau- 
tiful), Amicalolah (Tumbling Water), Hiwassee (Pretty 
Fawn), Okefinokee (Quivering Earth), and Chattahoo- 
chee (Rocky River), Nacoochee (Evening Star). Neither 
the Creeks nor the Cherokees had a written language, 
and their history is a matter of tradition. The Creek 
language bore a resemblance to classic Greek. Their 
legends— wild, romantic, often tragic — are still full of 
interest for their pale-faced successors. 

Extract from M. V. Moore, in March Harper, 1889: 

RFVERS OF TENNESSEE. 

Tennessee ! How were her rivers in the olden Indian 

tongue '? 
What syllabic rhythm had they ere the white man's 

changes rung? 
Wascibia and Shewanee — thus the Cumberland was 

known. 
With Obed, Caney, Obe, Sulphur, Harpeth, New and 

Stone. 



32 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Holston once was Hogeeliogee ; and from the mouth of 

French Broad down (which was then the Taquas- 

tah) Cootchla on to Chota-town, 
This an Indian refuge city of an ancient, wide renown, 

where there empties into Tennesa, this the Little 

Tennessee ; 
Then began great Kalamuckee (Chalaqua in Cherokee), 
Once Hiwasse was Euphasa, with its brawling Chestoee, 
Estinaula, "where they rested," and Amoah or Ocoee. 
Through Chilhowee comes the Little, once the red man's 

swift Canoee — 
Where the wingless Pigeon flutters, once the Aguqua 

they knew, 
Where Unaka sent, his daughter Salacao is Tellico ; 
Where was once the Nalachuckee, simply Chucky now 

we know. 
Thundering through the AUeghanies with the Doe is 

yet Watauga; 
Out and in with Georgia pranking, straight to gulf goes 

Connesauga ; 
Out but never more returning, '' stream of death" is 

Chicamauga. 
By these w^aters fought the Shawnee, TJchee, Choctaw, 

Cherokee — 
Dead and vanquished are these warriors, but the music 

of the rivers, 
And the sw^eet syllabic rhythm of its names shall live 

forever. 

The following article will illustrate how, sometimes, 
history which is not history is accepted as history. It is 
taken from the Sweetwater Telephone: 

^'SOITEE WOITEE." 

By W. B. Lenoir. 

''Which I rise to explain" that things do sometimes 
turn out peculiar. In a very readable article in the 
Southern Field as reproduced in the Sweetwater Tele- 
phone of February 12, 1913, occurs this paragraph : 

''The name Sweetwater came about in an unusual way. 
The Cherokee Indians, who formerly occupied the sec- 
tion, called the creek and valley 'soitee woitee,' which 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 33 

means in the Cherokee language 'happy lionies. ' But 
when the early settlers came they heard the Indians pro- 
nouncing the name, and, getting the pronunciation only 
half correct, they referred to the section as Sweetwater, 
which is merely what 'soitee woitee' sounds to them." 

It may really not matter how a town or a valley may 
have gotten its name; and although the name Sweet- 
water is not uncommon for branches, creeks and towns 
yet people are usually curious to know why it is called 
so. They want some sort of an explanation; and if an 
explanation is not ready to hand one nmst be invented. 
Often the more unreasonable the explanation, the greater 
the credence given it. Repetition, too, gives it more and 
more a semblance to truth. Usually I would let such 
paragraphs as the above go uncontradicted, as no real 
harm could come of it. My main reason for writing this 
is that I feel myself partly responsible for having 
started the yarn. I am aware that fiction, fairy tales, 
fables and legends have their proper place in literature, 
and they often entertain and sometimes instruct. Santa 
Klaus and St. Valentine are patron saints and national 
institutions wdth us whether they ever had existence or 
not. Sometimes, too, a man writes an article, w^hich is 
accepted as truth, when at the time of its w^riting noth- 
ing was further from his desire than to have it so ac- 
cepted. This brings me to my confession, so to speak. 

Something like a decade ago, the late Mr. D. L. Smith, 
the then proprietor of the Sweetwater Telephone, o\\ onC' 
of its anniversaries, possibly the tenth, with commen- 
dable zeal got out a special edition or magazine exploit- 
ing Sweetwater and Sweetwater Valley. He requested 
me some time previous to its publication to write a paper 
on the legends of the Cherokee Indians. I told him I 
didn't know, couldn't find out any. If 'twas to indite 
a sonnet to beauty's brown mouth or rosebud eyes, I 
could sing my little song with more confidence. 1 then 
thought no more of the matter. I left town to visit a 
friend. Whilst on that visit I got another letter from 
Mr. Smith insisting that I send in my communication 
about legends of Sweetwater Valley Cherokees. Not 
wishing to disappoint Mr. Smith I consulted a friend who 
was versed in Indian lore and asked him what was to 
be done in the case. ^'The Cherokees," said he, "have 



-^4 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

few if any traditions or legends and never occupietT 
Sweetwater Valley so far as is known" (see Ramsey's 
Annals, page 87), but that lie would help nie invent a 
legend. I agreed to this ])rovided we evolved a legend 
that would not be taken at all as history. How would 
this do! he remarked. Have John Howard Payne on 
his trip from Virginia to Georgia travel through Sweet- 
water Valley, stop there and be entertained by a hos- 
])itable and highly intelligent chief and draw a fancy 
sketch of the beauty and fertility of the counti-y as it ap- 
])eared then ; nan-ate that he was also so mucli taken 
Avith the happiness of the Indian liome that it inspired 
him to write tlK> words and music of the song of ''Home, 
Sweet Home"; naming it "Swatee Watee," which in 
the Cherokee vernacular meant "happy home." As a 
matter of fact neither of us knew of such words in the 
Cherokee language, and if there were such words had 
not the remotest idea what they meant. There could be no 
equivalent in any Indian language to our word ''home," 
with its hallowed associations and civilized eml)ellish- 
ments. "What is Home Without a Mother?" when 
translated into the Indian's idea would be, "What is a 
(smoky) tepee without a squaw (maybe two or three 
squaws) to fetcli and carry and dig and cook and bear 
warriors to scal]i the enemy?" An Indian squaw was 
no better than a beast of burden, to be thrown aside when 
she became useless. As the article referred to was 
signed by myself, the responsi])ility for the statements 
rested on me. On the one hand I was guyed for attempt- 
ing to "palm oif any such silly stuff on an unsuspecting 
])ublic," and on the other hand, which was worse, have 
the statements taken as true and come to me for con- 
firmation. I was sometimes tempted to stick to what I 
said and let them believe the lie and go their way; but 
here I am confessing my sins like a little man, as I 
should do, and promising to refrain from doing 
the like again. But — John Howard Payne, (), John 
Howard Payne! I almost wish that Home, Sweet Home, 
had not evolved from your fertile brain. Ramsey says 
in his Annals that Sweetwater had no Indian name, and, 
if it did, it ])ore no resemblance to its present one. 



A CHAPTER ON RACES. 

There* are recognized at least four races of men. Once 
geograpliically and more accurately than now they could 
have been named from the locations they occupied as the 
European, the Asiatic, the African, the American; or 
according to characteristics the Caucasian, the Mon- 
golian, the negro, the Indian; in relation to color, the 
white man, the yellow, the black and the red. Adopting 
either the biblical or evolutionary origin of man, it is 
equally uncertain where the cradle of the human race 
was. It is generally given as the highlands of Asia. 
This is, however, more speculation than actual history. 
There are individuals and even nations that are diffi- 
cult to be classed under any one of these heads and may 
resemble several of them. The most plausible explana- 
tion is that they are an admixture. In the early dawn of 
history, sacred and profane, the races Avere not so much 
inclined to amalgamate, but kept more distinct. Yet 
even the divine command could not keep the Hebrews 
apart from others. It is scarcely conceivable that the 
ten "lost" tribes of Israel were lost sight of except as 
being mingled with other nations of the globe. In the 
contest of races the strongest or, if you insist on the 
word, the '^ fittest" survives; mental and physical capa- 
city and environment make men and nations. A Ken- 
tuckian might use the phrase ** blood will tell." 

In the scheme. of humanity or nations only two of 
these races, the white and the yellow, need to be taken 
into consideration in the future as determining the 
destiny of the world. They already occupy or control 
much the greater part of it. The white men own by far 
the most territory, but have not a very large preponder- 
ance in number. Judging the future by the past it is 
more than probable at some time the whole habitable 
globe will be controlled by one race, and we think that 
will be the white man. 

The black and the red men have been nomadic in their 
nature. They have not the same attachment to home and 
country as the wdiite. man. Wlien an Anglo-Saxon gets 
hold of a piece of land he ei-ects his castle, and there he 



36 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

stays until driven olt' by a more powerful foe or is dis- 
possessed by legal process by the sheriff. The white man 
lias the inventive power, he progresses. The yellow has 
only imitation, he is conservative. The white man has 
always held in slavery the black man, either by chains 
or commercially. The black man is no fighter. He 
doesn't know how to fight. The Indian lacks numbers, in- 
dustry and persistence. It is impossible either to enslave 
liim or impart to him successfully the civilization and 
habits of the white man. Wlien once he loses against the 
white man the places that knew him once know him no 
more forever. In one hundred years from now the small 
boy wall give his dime to see a pure blooded Indian in a 
side show. The "barker" will say: "Ladies and gen- 
tlemen and children, buy your tickets here and step right 
in and behold one of the few pure living descendants 
of the pow^erful red man, who once held undisputed sway 
over our mighty continent. He was finally overcome by 
superior arms and numbers and such was his pride of 
race that he preferred extinction to becoming the serf 
or underling of his hated conqueror. Don't neglect this 
wonderful opportunity ; for it ma}^ be many, many moons 
before you have a chance to view his like again ! ' ' 

The words of Pope have l)ecome so familiar that car- 
toonists sometimes name the Indian "Lo. " 

"Lo, the poor Indian! whose untutored mind 

Sees God in the clouds, or hears Him in the wind, 

His soul proud science never taught to stray 

Far as the solar walk or milky way ; 

Yet simple nature to his hope has given 

Behind the cloud-topp'd hill an humble heaveii; 

Some safer world in depths of woods embraced. 

Some happier island in the watery waste. 

Where slaves once more their native land behold. 

No fiends torment, no Christians thirst for gold. 

To be content's his natural desire, 

He asks no angel's wing, no seraph's fire, 

But thinks admitted to yon equal sky 

His faitlrful dog shall l)ear him company." 

"There is no good Indian but a dead one," said Kit 
('arson, and it used to be such a favorite phrase out 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATEK VALLEY o7 

West as to become wearisome. Here you have the two 
views entirely opposite, the poet who knew the Indian 
from hearsay and the soklier and scout who thought he 
knew all about him from experience. However, Car- 
son's experience Avas more with the Sioux, Comanche 
and Apache than with the Cherokee. The fact remains 
that an Indian is Indian, a negro a negro and the white 
man a white man, and the two hundred years they have 
lived under the same government have not changed them. 

The Hon. John B. Brownlow in an issue of the Knox- 
ville DaUy Journal in speaking of how history is some- 
times made, or how error or a lie may become an ac- 
cepted fact among a people, sa^^s: 

''A lie w^ill beget permanent belief by constant itera- 
tion and reiteration. Constant dripping wdll wear a 
stone, and the muddier the water the faster the wear. 
We all believe a great many things which we know are 
not true. The thing most widely known about George 
Washington is that he cut down his father's cherry tree 
with 'his little hatchet,' and then expressed his inability 
to lie. No fact in the history of Washington has wider 
or deeper prevalence. We all know now that it is not 
true — but what is the use to 'argufy'? About the only 
thing that the best read people in the world know about 
William Tell is that he shot an apple off his little son's 
head. That never occurred — but Avhy 'argufy' about 
it? * * * Lee did not surrender to Grant under an 
apple tree at Appomattox, but what is the use of taking 
issue with every old woman and school child in the land 
who says he did!" 

It is just as popular an error that the Indians were 
cruelly treated when it was thought best to cause their 
removal across the Mississippi; but more of this here- 
after. 

TREATIES WITH THE CHEROKEES. 

Cessions o th'j State of North Carolina and the U. S. Government. 

In May, 1783, the General Assembly of North Caro- 
lina opened an office for the sale of w^estern lands for 
the purpose of paying the arrears due officers and sol- 
diers on that part of the continental line which was 
raised in North Carolina and for the purpose of extin- 



38 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

guishing part of the national debt acquired in the pro- 
gress of the Bevolutionar}^ War. Without previous con- 
sultation with the Indians they enlarged the boundaries 
as follows : ' ' Beginning at the point on the line be- 
tween Virginia and North Carolina due north from the 
mouth of Cloud's Creek; thence west to the Mississippi 
Eiver; thence down said river to the line of 35 degrees 
of north latitude ; thence east to the Appalachian Moun- 
tain chain ; thence with the same to the ridge that divides 
the waters of the Nolichucky and French Broad Rivers ; 
thence wdtli that ridge to Brown's line (Acts of North 
Carolina, 1778) ; thence with Brown's line to the be- 
ginning. ' ' 

This was going farther than the General Assembly 
had a right to do and was almost certain to involve the 
State and settlers in bloody and expensive wars with the 
Cherokees and other Indian tribes. However, before 
much of the territory mentioned had been taken up under 
this act, the Legislature saw the unwisdom of it, and for 
this and other reasons they ceded their claim to this 
and other territory to the United States with certain con- 
ditions attached. This was in the year 1784. Congress, 
however, refused to accept the cession, and the act was 
afterward repealed. 

Then John Sevier and others claiming that the State 
of North Carolina had parted title to the land so ceded 
to the United States, organized the State of Franklin, 
and held a session of the Legislature in Greenville in 
1785. 

They elected United States senators, ]^assed acts and 
attempted to exercise all the powers of a State. ' ' Thus, ' ' 
saj's Ramsey, ''in the beginning of 1786 Avas presented 
the spectacle of two empires exercised at one time over 
the same people and territorj^" 

Then arose that wonderful series of events in which 
John Sevier was leader for the State of Franklin, and 
Jonathan Tipton was leader for the State of North Caro- 
lina, which came near involving the factions in the throes 
of civil war. The Congress of the United States, after 
much wrangling, however, did not recognize the sena- 
tors and representatives from Franklin as belonging to 
a State and they were refused admission. For this, more 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 39 

than any other reason, the State of Franklin, by legis- 
lative enactment on Marcli 1, 1788, ceased to exist. 

From tlien until 1796, when Tennessee was admitted 
to the Union, the State of North Carolina exercised un- 
disputed authority over her boundaries. 

The history of those times, with Sevier and Tipton as 
central figures, forms chapters of more thrilling in- 
terest than the happenings of almost any State in the 
Union — far more so than bull moose hunting in Maine, 
witch burning in Massachusetts, or tales of mining in 
Dead Man's Gulch, and stage robbing in Wyoming and 
Nevada. It is a favorite theme witli writers and his- 
torians; but however charming narrative could be made 
it is not within our province to write of them except the 
bare mention as leading up to other events in our im- 
mediate section. 

WHY FKOM WHITE IMAX 's VIEWPOINT NECESSARY TO REMOVE 
THE CHEROKEE. 

In 1735, Ramsey says, the Cherokees had sixty-four 
towns and six thousand warriors. These towns were 
scattered over North Georgia, Western North Carolina 
and a part of Eastern Tennessee. In 1750 there were 
not so many, having meanwhile been decimated by wars, 
the Overhill Towns with the Northern Indians and the 
Lower Towns with the Creeks. 

In 1755 the authorities of South Carolina divided the 
whole Cherokee country into six hunting districts : Over- 
hill Towns, Valley Towns, Joree Towns, Keowa Towns, 
Out Towns and Lower Towns ; in all thirty-eight towns. 
They gave the Overhill Towns as Great Tellico, Chatu- 
gee, Tenasee, Chote, Toc(ua, Sittiquo and Tallassee. 

Bertram's Travels (1773-1778) gives the Overhill 
Towns on the Tanassee or Cherokee River as Nuasha, 
Tallase, Chelowe, Sette, Chote, Jaco,^T'ahassee, Tamable, 
T'uskeege, Sunne Waugh, Nilacjua. Now in the treaty of 
Waightstill Averv and others, commissioners on the part 
of North Carolina at Fort Henry on July 20, 1777, with 
the Overhill Indians (heretofore discussed) the towns 
given as the abiding place of the head men are : Chota, 
Toquo, Hiwassee, Mouth of Ti^llico, Chilhowee, ;Notchee 
Cre<4', Tuskeega, Citico, Chiles Tooch. 



40 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

The term "Overhill" means the towns west of the 
Great Smokies and situated between the (Little) Ten- 
nessee and Hiwassee Rivers. Tlie white men approach- 
ing the section mentioned from the east, the country 
then occupied by the whites, would naturally term the 
towns on the west of the Smoky or Unaka Mountain 
the Overhill Towns. 

The word "town" as applicable to Indian settlements 
was not open to the objection given in the song of 
' ' Yankee Doodle ' ' : 

"Yankee Doodle went to town; he wore his striped 

trousers, 
He said he couldn't see the town for so many houses." 

An Indian town was a collection of tepees usually 
located near a considerable water course ; near the tepees 
were patches cleared from the cane brake, on which the 
squaws cultivated corn for bread and hominy. This 
with the game killed by the bucks furnished sufficient 
subsistence for those residing there. The tepees were 
made of skins of wild animals supported by poles. They 
were of conical shape and had an opening at the top 
for the escape of the smoke, and were of such light 
character as to Ije readily carried away by the squaws 
in case of emergency. The buck scorned anything so 
degrading as manual labor. " Fighting and hunting were 
his onl}^ occupations. The head men of these towns 
were elective. Only those who had performed some ex- 
ploit in war or the chase had any voice in the selection. 
From the statements of historians and from the signa- 
ture of the head men of the Overhill Cherokees to the 
different treaties it is almost certain that in the bounds 
of what is now known as the Hiwassee purchase or dis- 
trict, embracing most of Monroe county and a part of 
Ijoudon and Roane counties, all of Meigs and McMinn 
and a part of Polk county, the Cherokees really occupied 
about one thousand square miles only of this territory, 
to-wit: Bounded on the north by the Little Tennessee 
River; on the west by the Notchey Creek knobs; on the 
south by the Hiwassee River; on the east by the Great 
Smoky Mountains. The Indian population within this 
bouiuhirv it is likelv did not exceed five thousand in num- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 41 

ber. Thus counting five to a family would have given 
each family in the Overhills Towns a square mile if 
divided and not held in common. In the Calhoun treatv 
of March, 1819, Article 2 reads thus: "The United 
States agreed to pay, according to the treaty of July 8, 
1817, for valuable improvements on land in the country 
ceded by the Cherokees and allow a reservation of six 
hundred and forty acres to the head of each family (not 
enrolled for removal to Arkansas) who elects to become 
a citizen of the United States." 

In addition to this, a portion of Article 1 contains this 
proviso: *'A11 the islands of the Chestatee and the 
Tennessee and Hiwassee Rivers (except Jolly Island at 
the mouth of the Hiwassee River) belong to the Chero- 
kee Nation." This left the Cherokee Nation to keep or 
dispose of these islands as they saw fit. In relation to 
one of these islands in Little Tennessee River not far 
above the site of Old Fort Loudon the late Henry Brad- 
ley related to me this anecdote. Mr. Bradley was for 
years an employe of Colonel Charles M. McGhee, son of 
John McGhee, of whom the story is told. An Indian chief 
(name not remembered) owned or claimed an island in 
the river, the bank of which was owned by McGliee. Mc- 
Ghee had a very fine rifle of rare make which the Indian 
was anxious to buy, but McGhee was unwilling to part 
with. On one occasion the Indian visited McGhee and 
after hanging around for a while he remarked: ''Big 
Chief had a dream. McGhee : "I hope it was a pleasant 
one ; what did the Big Chief dream ? ' ' Big Chief dreamed 
White Chief give Indian his fine gun." "Oh, that's it, 
is it f Well, if Big Chief was told by the spirit in a dream 
that he is to have the 'fine gun' he must not be dis- 
appointed" (taking it down from the rack and handing 
it to him). The Indian left in great glee. 

Not a great while afterward they met, and after the 
customary greeting, McGhee said : ' ' How did you like 
your gun?" "Great gun, kill anything." McGhee, 
"White Chief had a dream, too." Indian, "Uh, huh! 
What ? ' ' McGhee, ' White man dream Indian chief made 
him a deed to the island over there." Indian, "Here, 
take gun ])ack ! ' ' McGhee shook his head, ' ' Can 't do it ; 
Indian dreamed it away from liini, no good to him any 
more." After some minutes of gloomy reflection the 



42 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Indian replied: "Big Chief make you a deed to it, but 
Indian no dream against white man no more." 

Tlius in wliat is iiow Sweetwater Valley from 1817 
back for four hundred years or more we have the spec- 
tacle of a section without inhabitants, with no roads and 
not a trail through it. It was even nameless, not for- 
evermore, but for a long period. 

With the exception of a mound here and there to show 
a once human occupation and tlieir passing away, it was 
just as the geologic laws and time and weather left it. 
The Cherokees came not tlirough it when they went to 
tight their Northern enemies, nor when they surprised 
and exterminated the Euchees at the mouth of Hiwassee 
River; the trail to the Chicasaws and Creeks was not 
near it. So far as humanity was concerned it was a 
deserted country without a history or a name ; nameless 
also the streams and ridges. It was given over to the 
deer, panther, the wild cat, turkey, plieasant, the swan, 
the duck and other smaller birds and animals. Wlien 
the white man took possession in 1820 he found it almost 
as nature made it — Adamless, Eveless and with no apple 
to tempt save the sour wild crab. On the ridges the 
chestnut, poplar, tlie red, black and white oak predomi- 
nated, in the valley grew abundantly the sycamore, 
hickory, the gums, the elm, the willow and water oak. 
The creek flowed tranquilly through the valley on its 
clear winding way to the Tennessee River, spreading out 
into ponds and marshes, the home of the mallard, the 
coot and the crane. However desirable a counti-y it 
might be to the white man it was not such as tlie Indian, 
tliat child of nature, loved. It had no great wide reaches 
to gladden the eye, no stream large enough to easily and 
safely carry his birch bark canoe. To him it was merely 
a preserve or breeding gi-ound for game. "Wlien it got 
too plentiful here it went to the Tellico and Tcimessee 
where the Indian lived. 

So the Cherokees traded this country foi- land be- 
yond the Mississiy)])i "unsight, unseen" and "no rue 
back" as the horse swappers say. As it turned out it was 
a good trade for both. True it must be admitted that 
the white man had a slight advantage in knowing that 
the trade was going to be made and what the terms were 
to be. The Indian in bis childlike simplicity left the de- 



HISTORY OF SW]:ET\VATER VALLEY 4,> 

tails to "tlu' party of sec-oiul i)ai-t," and Retuiii J. Meigs, 
backed by tlie United States government, was prin- 
(•il)ally the jiarty of tlie second part, and he was no 
amateur when it came to a land deal. Be it known, how- 
(^ver, that if you have any extra tears to shed over the 
sorrows of humanity, the Indian does not desire nor need 
them. Save your sobs for the heroes and heroines of the 
dime novel, or exploited heathens of the ''rubber trust 
on the Congo, or the down-trodden Moros of Mindanao. 
Don't acknowledge there is much to weep over in home 
conditions ; it is too trying on the nervous system. Leave 
it to the politicians to "point with pride" and "view 
with alarm": it's their ])rincipal stock in trade. 

ENCROACHMENT OF WHITES ON CHEROKEE NEUTRAL GROUND. 

As early as August, 1790, President Washington in a 
message to Congress brought up the subject of the en- 
croachment of white settlers on Cherokee neutral ground. 
(See "Messages of Presidents," compih'd by J. D. Rich- 
ardson.) 

It was alleged that there were five hundred families 
settled and were occupying ])laces that they had no legal 
right to. 

Negotiations moved more slowly in those days, and it 
was not till 1798 that a new treaty was made with the 
Cherokees and the southern line of occupation for white 
settlers w^as established, to-wit : 

' ' Commencing at Wild Cat Rock near the Tellico Block 
House; thence down the northeast margin of the (Little) 
Tennessee River, not including islands, to a point one 
mile above the junction of that river with the Clinch; 
thence at a right angle (northwardly) to Hawkin's line 
leading to the Clinch River ; thence with that line to the 
Clinch River; thence up Clinch to Emery; thence up 
Emery to Cumberland Mountain (Wallen's Ridge); 
thence northeast to Campbell's line." 

In 1803 President Jefferson urged the removal of the 
Indian tribes beyond the Mississippi. Congress ap- 
proved and in 1804 appropriated $15,000.00 for the pur- 
pose of negotiations, and commissioners were appointed 
to look into the matter. 

By a treaty concluded ( )ctol)er 27, 1805, and proclaimed 



44 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

June 10, 1806, Return J. Meigs and Dan. Shields being 
commissioners for the United States, the Cherokees 
ceded : 

(1) The section of land at southwest point, extending 
to Kingston and the respective ferries of the two rivers 
and the first island in the Tennessee River above the 
mouth of the Clinch. (2) The Cherokees consent to the 
free and unmolested use by tlie United States of a mail 
road from the Tellico to the Tombigbee River in the 
territory of Alabama. This road was made and was 
called the Federal road. That part through what was 
afterward the Hiwassee district began at Nile's Ferry, 
passed by Ho (Torbett's) by what is now Nona- 
burg and continuing, crossing the Hiwassee River not a 
great ways from the mouth of the Ocoee. (3) The con- 
sideration paid for these concessions was $1,609.00. 

THE HIWASSEE PURCHASE. 

Below we condense some of the material provisions of 
the Hiwassee Purchase or treat}^ with the Cherokees in 
] 819. To give in full would require too much space, and 
would not likely prove interesting to the general reader. 
Several of the articles as will be seen by the numbers 
given are not mentioned. Some of them are lengthy 
and relate minute particulars for the removal of the In- 
dians in flat boats; what guns, ammunition, provisions, 
blankets, etc., are to be furnislied them for their start 
in the new territory. 

Treatv concluded February 27, 1819. Proclaimed 
March io, 1819. Held at AVashington, D. C, between 
John C. Calhoun, secretary of war, and the chief heads- 
men of the Cherokee Nation. 

TEEMS OF TREATY. 

(Art. 1.) The Cherokee Nation cedes to the United 
States all of their lands lying north and east of the fol- 
lowing line : Beginning on the Tennessee River at a 
point where Madison county in the territory of Alabama 
joins the same ; thence along the channel of said river to 
the mouth of the Hiwassee ; thence along the main chan- 
nel of the last said river to the first hill that closes on 
this river about two miles above Hiwassee old town; 



HISTORY or SWEETWATER VALLEY 45 

I hence along the ridge that divides the Hiwassee and 
the Tellico Bivers to tlie Tennessee at Takissee; 
thence along the main cliannel to the junction of the 
Gowee and Nanteyalee (Nantog Yulee — Nantahala) ; 
thence with the ridge in the forks of the said river to the 
top of the Blue Ridge ; thence along the Blue Ridge to the 
Unicoy Turnpike I'oad ; thence a straight line to the 
nearest main source of the Chestatee ; thence along the 
main channel to the Chattahooche ; and thence to the 
Creek boundary ; it being understood that all the islands 
of the Chestatee and (those) in the Tennessee and Hi- 
wassee Rivers (except Jolly Island at the mouth of the 
Hiwassee), which constitute a portion of the boundary, 
are the iDroperty of the Cherokee Nation, 

United States right of way, according to the treaty 
of 1805, not affected; twelve miles square on the Ten- 
nessee River near the Alabama line to be sold by the 
United States and the proceeds to be invested, the in- 
terest to constitute a school fund for the benefit of the 
Cherokee Nation east of the Mississippi River. 

(Art. 2.) The United States agrees to pay according 
to treaty, July 8, 1817, for valuable improvements on 
land within the country ceded by the Cherokees, and 
allow a reservation of six hundred and forty acres to 
the head of each family (not enrolled for removal to 
Arkansas) who elects to become a citizen of the United 
States. 

(Art. 5.) Leases made under the treaty of 1817, of 
land in Cherokee country are void. All white people in- 
truding upon lands reserved by the Cherokees shall be 
removed bv the United States under the act of March 30, 
1802. 

(Art. 7.) The United States shall prevent intrusion 
on the ceded lands prior to January 1, 1820. 

THE ORIGIN OF LAND TITLES IN SWEETWATER 

VALLEY. 

It is a far cry from our time to that of Charles II. of 
England. We would naturally think that he Avould have 
had little to do witli us liei-e in Sweetwater Valley, yet 
the title to every acre of land in this section can be traced 
back to the grant given by that king to Edward, Earl of 



46 IIISTORV OF SWEETWATEU VALLEY 

Clarendon, and six other nobles on the 24-tli day of 
March, 1663. Those were merry times in Merry Eng- 
land, and Charles, the Merry Monarch, was the merriest 
of them all. The people had become tired of long faces, 
long parliaments and long prayers. During the Crom- 
well i an period places of amnsement and theatres were 
closed. No musical instruments were allowed in the 
churches, and even the exhibition of Raphael's Madonna 
would have been considered a species of idolatry. If a 
man smiled it was as if he mocked himself for Ijeing so 
festive. Such hymns as "I Would Not Live Alway" 
were, if not popular, most in vogue. Small wonder that 
when Oliver Cromwell passed from the stage of action 
and Charlie from over the water appeared upon the 
scene, the pendulum of human emotions swung far in 
the opposite direction, and the parquet, the boxes and 
galleries all applauded. The people were all weary of 
tears, tragedy and solenm asservations. 

Charles, as principal actor, discounted in merriment 
the celebrated performances of 

''Old King Cole, that merry old soul, 

A merry old soul was he ; 
He called for his pipe and he called for his bowl, 

xVnd he called for his fiddlers three." 

The populace in imitation of Charles, set out to have 
a rip-roaring, hilarious good time and proceeded to paint 
the town of London a vivid red. It w^as a Fourth of July 
and Christmas celebration all rolled into one. 

'Twas in this era of good feeling that Charles, between 
drinks, which we are told were never very far apart, 
gave the grants spoken of to the overlords of Carolina, 
so named in honor of Carolus (Charles). This was likely 
accomplished in a space of time that the governors of the 
two Carolinas would occupy in discussing what beverage 
should next be consumed. 

Oh, no! There was nothing small about Charlie. He 
was all obliging. To satisfy his courtiers and keep his 
head on his shoulders he would have given them the moon 
with equal good humor. Tliis grant covered that part 
of Noi-th America included between the parallels of 31 
and .16 degr(M»s north latitude, and stretched from the 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 47 

Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. Just think of it, a domain 
three thousand miles long and three hundred miles wide, 
tlie finest land in the world and the inhabitants thereof ! 
It embraced in its extent the greater part of the South- 
ern States south of Virginia and Kentucky east of the 
Mississippi River, a part of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, 
New Mexico, Arizona and California. In the game of 
giving Charles has Carnegie and Rockefeller bluffed to 
a standstill; their combined benefactions of half a bil- 
lion dollars or so look like thirty cents beside his. But 
he minded, not. If he owned the territory he wanted to 
shift the responsibility from his shoulders ; for he possi- 
bly knew that there were savage beasts and still more 
savage men and the French and the S]ianish, too, to 
fight. He was no fighter as his ancestors were. He pre- 
ferred to feed his clucks in the ponds of Windsor Park, 
drink the effervescing wines of France and Italy and 
dance to the lascivious music of the lute. To use an 
advertising phrase, w^ith him "ladies' society was a 
specialty." If he did not own the land, then the grim 
humor of the situation was like that of the father with 
no assets at all that left to his beloved son a million dol- 
lars — ' ' to get. ' ' 

The Earl of Rochester once said that Charles II. 

"Never said a foolish thing. 
And never did a wise one." 

"VVe are inclined to differ. This proved a wise act. 
However, if he had known that North Carolina and Ten- 
nessee w^ould turn out prohibition States he might have 
balked. For his warmest friends and bitterest enemies 
would scarcely claim Charles as a "State-wider." I 
wish to remark here that we will get to Sweetwater Val- 
ley after a while. If we do not arrive on schedule time 
remember that there were no roads and very few trails 
in the old days I next will write about. 

When I wrote the above about the origin of land titles 
in Sweetwater Valley I did not have access to a copy 
of the charter of Charles II. There is now before me 
a book entitled as follows : 



48 HISTORY OF SWEET VSiATEE VALLEY 

LAWS 

of the 

STATE OF TENNESSEE, 

including those of 

NORTH CAROLINA, 
NOW IN FORCE IN THIS STATE, 

from the year 

1715 TO THE YEAE 1820, INCLUSIVE. 



BY EDWARD SCOTT, 

one of the judges of the circuit courts of law and equity. 



IN TWO VOLUMES. 

Vol. I. 



KNOXVlLLE, TENN. 

Printed by 

HEISKELL & BROWN. 



1821. 

As to Charles' fondness for the bowl and amusements, 
his lack of attention to details, his carelessness as to 
what he signed or did not sign, provided it did not trench 
on his own personal privileges, his being guided by his 
favorites, male and female, the statements written are 
absolutely true and are not to be added to or subtracted 
from. That there was any carelessness in the prepara- 
tion of the charter on the part of the grantees or in the 
protection of their own interests is not true. For the 
charter was a wonderfully comprehensive instrument. 
So far as I have been able to perceive, besides paying the 
small rent exacted, they were almost independent of the 
British crown. The overlords mentioned could make 
laws for the government of the colonists, pardon or 
punish as they saw fit. There was, however, a provision 
that the freemen should give their assent to those laws; 
but in tlie referendum who should call the elections and 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 49 

how tlie ballots should be counted was not stated. We 
insert some of the provisions of the charter which are 
not the exact words of the charter, unless the wording 
as given are marked as ciuotations. This charter is 
ver}^ long and occupies ten pages of this volume; The 
second charter granted by King Charles II. to .the pro- 
prietors of North Carolina was dated March 24th in the 
fifteenth year of our reign (1665). The proprietors 
are Edward, Earl of Clarendon, High Chancellor ^of Eng- 
land; George, Duke of Albemarle, master of horse; Wil- 
liam, Earl Craven, Counsellor John Lord Berkely, Coun- 
sellor Anthony Lord Ashly, Sir George Cartereti Knight 
and Baronet ; Sir John Colleton, Sir William Berkely. 
King Charles grants to them all that territory called 
Carolina, ''Situate lying and being in our dominions of 
America; extending from the end of the island called 
Luke Island, which lieth in the Southern Virginia Seas 
and within 36 degrees north latitude; and to the west 
as far as to the south seas and so respectively as far 
as the river Mathias, which borders upon the coast of 
Florida and within 31 degrees of northern latitude ; and 
so west in a direct line as far as the south sea as afore- 
said. " 

This territory, I take it to mean, was to extend from 
ocean to ocean. The land having been explored only a 
few hundred miles to the westward, the immense extent 
of the territory was not known. The instrument par- 
ticularly cites that it conveyed all soils, lands, fields, 
woods, mountains, lakes, rivers, all whales and fish in the 
ba3\s, the seas upon the coast, all veins, mines and quar- 
ries discovered or not discovered, all golds, silver, gems, 
precious stones, metals or any other thing found or to 
be found within the province, territory or islets in the 
limits aforesaid. They had power to grant religious 
liberty and had ample rights, jurisdiction, privileges, 
prerogatives, royalties, liberties, immunities of anj^ kind 
whatsoever, and these privileges and rights were to ex- 
tend to their heirs and assigns forever. The considera- 
tion for this grant was the fourth part of all golds and 
silver ore found within its boundaries, and the yearly 
rent of tAvelity marks. They had full power and authority 
to erect, constitute and make several counties, baronies 
and colonies, also to make and enact under their seals 



50 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

and to publish any laws and constitutions whatsoever 
either ap])eitaining- to the public state of the whole 
l)roviitC4' or any particular county of or within the same 
or to tiie private utility of particular persons by and with 
the adyiice and assent of the free men of said province or 
territory or of tlie county for which said law or constitu- 
tion shaii be made; and the said grantees have power 
to remit, release, pardon and abolish whether before 
judgment or after all crimes and offenses whatsoever 
against that law. 

They aiso had power to collect import duties, except 
that certain articles such as English tools, silks, raisins, 
almond oil and olives were to be admitted free of duty. 
They also had power to confer titles and honors ex- 
cept curtains ones, such as dukedoms, earls and baronets, 
which were exclusively the right of the crown. They had 
power to designate ports of entry, stating wdiere vessels 
should enter and trade under such I'egulations as were 
prescribed. They were given power also to convey ab- 
solutely by deed in fee simple any tract or privilege to 
the coloiusts which had been conveyed to them by King 
diaries except legislative and judicial functions. This 
charter had many other provisions conveying certain 
powers and privileges, making them, not the governors 
only, but the absolute owners of the vast domain. It is 
needless to state again that this territory included wdiat 
is now the State of Tennessee, but this State would not 
form a tenth of tliis u'rant. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 

REV. JAMES AXLEY. 

Tliere lie in Comity Line Cemetery, two and a half 
miles from Sweetwater near the Athens road, the re- 
mains of the Rev. James Axley and his w^ife, Cynthia 
Axley. On his tombstone is inscribed: **Rev. James 
Axley died February 23, 1837, aged sixty years. He was 
])residing- elder in the Methodist Episcopal church for 
thirty years." 

On that of his wife, ''Cynthia, wife of Rev. James 
Axley, died September 31, 1882, aged eighty- two years," 

Rev. R. N. Price, in Vol. II, Holston Methodism, gives 
a sjaiopsis of his life. 

That he was presiding elder for thirty years is clearly 
a mistake. He was, according to church records, 
preacher for only thirty-three years; circuit rider for 
seven, presiding elder for ten and located for sixteen 
years. By located is meant that he was not under the 
order of the bishop and though still licensed to preach, 
was entitled only to such pay as the churches that invited 
him in any locality chose to give him. Preaching or not 
was entirely voluntary. 

Born in Cumberland county, Virginia; father and 
mother, James and Lemuanna Axley. They moved to 
Kentucky about 1799. The subject of this sketch was 
admitted to the Western Conference in 1804 and located 
in 1822. His charges were : 1804, Red River, in Cum- 
berland district, a colleague of Miles Harper ; 1805, Hock- 
hocking, Ohio district; 1806, French Broad; 1807, 
Opelousas, Louisiana ; 1808, Powell's Valley; 1809, Hol- 
ston; 1810, Elk; 1811, presiding elder of Wabash dis- 
trict ; 1812, he Avas appointed presiding elder of Holston 
district and remained in charge of it four years ; he was 
two years in charge of the Green River district, and three 
vears presiding elder of the French Broad district (1818- 
1821). 

James Axley had two brothers and two sisters, his 
brothers were Pleasant and Robert. James and Pleasant 
wei^e converted near Salem, Ky., where they lived in 1802. 
Pleasant was a local preacher for many years, but did 



J 2 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

not attain anything like the celebrity of his brother 
James. 

There are wealth-made, school-made, God-made, and 
self-made men. George Washington, fortunately for our 
republic, was all of these. Heredity, environment, phy- 
sical capacity, mental and moral attainments made him 
easily the foremost citizen of America. It is related 
that Axley had no school training and no advantages in 
his youth. His father was a strange man in his habits 
and manner of life. He was greatl)' devoted to hunting 
wild game and searching for minerals; he spent the 
greater part of his time this way and remained at home 
but little. The burden of the family support was upon 
the mother and older children. James Axley, the son, 
was also fond of hunting in his youth. He became power- 
ful in frame, alert and observing of the habits of animals. 
It thus became much easier for him to learn men and 
the customs of polite societ}^ and correct the deficiencies 
of early life. From a hunter of wild animals he became 
a hunter of men. 

As is often the case, especially with those who lack 
l^revious training the first efforts of Axley were consid- 
ered very unpromising, so much so that he was refused a 
license to preach, and when one of his j)reacher friends 
advised him his efforts would meet with failure and it 
would be useless for him to try further, he is said to have 
replied that if he couldn't be a preacher with God's \ie\i> 
he could make a first class exhorter. As R. N. Price 
says: "He was called of God to preach; he felt it, he 
knew it, and nothing ever deterred him from obeying 
the call. " Demosthenes was told he could never make an 
orator, Jenny Lind that she would not be a success in 
opera, and the prophecies of Lincoln's career were even 
more adverse. These things show what a poor prophet 
the average man is when he attempts to predict what 
others may make of themselves. 

Here is Dr. McAnally's estimate of Axley later in life: 
''I have listened to popular orators among our states- 
men, to distinguished pleaders at tlie bar, to the 
preachers who were foUow^ed and heard by enraptured 
thousands, but the superior of James Axley in all that 
ccmstitutes genuine oratory and true eloquence I have 
not heard." 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 53 

"His height was near six feet, muscular frame, large 
bones, but little surplus flesh, chest broad and full 
features strongly marked, large mouth and nose, heavy, 
projecting, shaggy eyebrows, high and well turned fore- 
head, dark gray eyes, remarkably keen, large head and 
hair worn short. His dress was plain and made of home- 
spun material. In the pulpit he stood erect and nearly 
still, gesticulating but little, only turning from side to 
side that he might see his auditors. If the weather was 
warm it was common with him, after opening the ser- 
vice and singing and prayer, deliberately to take off his 
coat and hang it on the pulpit." Few men perhaps ever 
had a finer voice and never yet have I met with one who 
could control it better. So completely was it under his 
command that the manner in which something was said 
often aifected the hearer more than the thing itself. He 
was a natural orator after the best models — those which 
nature forms." 

James Axley came into the ministry at a propitious 
time for men of his type. He was a born fighter polemi- 
cally." Those days required both moral and physical 
courage. Since 1775 there had been a long war with the 
British and many with the various tribes of Indians. Be- 
tween the I'ed and white men tliere was little other than 
animosity, it had been an eye for an eye, scalp for scalp, 
and life for life. The pioneers of that day had been 
compelled not only to keep rifles in their homes, but to 
take their arms witli them to their fields, their meetings 
in the forest and to tlieir rude log churches, for fear of 
an attack from their cunning and treacherous foes. They 
were liable at any moment to be called from the worship 
of the Prince of Peace to bloody combat. Bloodshed and 
retaliation were tlie order of the day. War and especially 
that kind of war where personal and race hatred is added 
to national conflict, has a most demoralizing effect on 
humanity. If the doctrine of returning good for evil, or 
turning the other cheek when one is smitten, had any 
place in the breast of the men of that day its application 
was among white men and did not apply to the red. They 
held that their own preservation and that of their wives 
and ciiildren reciuired no mild measures but almost a 
policy of extermination. Treaties of peace availed little ; 
tlie primeval instincts were much in evidence. Conse- 



54 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

ciueiitly religion and tlie churches languished. The peo- 
ple did not fully appreciate the educated ministry of the 
Presbyterians ; there were too few of them to go round 
and there was more or less prejudice against written ser- 
mons. Few of the pioneers adhered to the church 
of England. They had declared and gained their civil 
independence and they wished entire religious independ- 
ence. They wanted no written prayers and sacerdotal 
robes; life was entirely too serious for elaborate cere- 
monies. 

Some authors in speaking of that period from 1780 to 
1800 have attributed the wave of xltheism and Deism 
(Infidelity) that swept over the country to the French 
revolutionary ideas and the writings of Voltaire and 
to Thomas Paine 's "Age of Reason." In western North 
Carolina, East Tennessee and eastern Kentucky we are 
inclined to think their influence was over estimated. The 
pioneers had not forgotten the parts the French had 
taken in the Indian wars and massacres and the prejudice 
had not been fully removed even by the fact thf^t La- 
fayette played so important part in the war of the Revo- 
lution against the British. They had little time and less 
opportunity for extensive reading. I can not believe 
that the books of Voltaire and Paine had a large circula- 
tion in our mountain comitry. Besides the "Age of 
Reason" was written for scholastic minds like Adams 
and Jefferson (who though violent political enemies 
were at one in their notions of religion) and not tor me 
mountaineer. In the beginning* of the Nineteenth cen- 
tury the New England ideas of Unitarianism had not 
taken any firm hold in our mountain country. The de- 
cadence of religion might have been more apparent than 
real or the preaching later on could not have been at- 
tended with such remarkable results. Fire cannot burst 
into flame without the proper fuel to feed upon. The 
])eople of France were ripe for the Revolution when it 
came. 

The early settlers of that period and section were not 
engaged in speculations about fine spun theories; the^' 
needed something virile and exciting to arouse them, 
such as sermons hot with hell fire and eternal punish- 
ment; "Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish." 

Then arose such men as Cartwright, Axley, Ijorenzo 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY .-)."> 

Dow, McKeiidree, Creed Fulton, Granade and Jesse 
Cumiingliam, and the celebrated revival of 1800, as it 
Avas called, commenced. It continued unabated for eight 
or ten years and with some vigor for ten or more years 
longer. The zealous, emotional, often uneducated 
preachers in the modern sense of the term, had their 
day. Their hearers would stand no sham or hypocrisy; 
they desired sincerity and earnestness; they cared not 
whether the preacher or exhorter, as the case might be, 
said sepul-chre or se-pul-chre, Geth-sem-a-ne or Geth-se- 
mane, so the thought was there. The intention of the 
listeners was to flee from the w^rath to come. 

During this revival came the days of the camp meet- 
ings. At their inception some accessible place was se- 
lected, preferably" near some large flowing spring ca- 
pable of furnishing plenty of water for men and beasts. 
If not already done a place was cleared and a stand was 
erected for the preachers. It was important that the lo- 
cation should be suitable one for stretching their tents. 
To hear the sermons the people stood up or sat on chairs 
and logs or sometimes climbed the trees near by. The 
inhabitants came from far and near bringing ^vith them 
their tents and provisions. When the weather permit- 
ted many slept out in the open air. These meetings were 
usually held in the fall, the pleasantest season of the 
year. Hospitality w^as unbounded for the visitors from 
a distance and hundreds and sometimes thousands were 
fed in one day. Great preparations were made for the 
entertainment of all comers. Tliese meetings were 
looked forward to for months beforehand. They an- 
nually, sometimes semi-annually, were a source of much 
religious and social en,io>^nent. Influences were brought 
to bear and friendships formed which lasted for a life- 
time, and were profitable for the Here and Hereafter. 
The services sometimes continued night and day for 
weeks as long as the interest lasted or the preachers and 
exhorters could bear the mental and physical strain. 
AVlien a place of meeting became popular and numerous- 
ly attended, a shed was built for protection against the 
weather, and it was seated with slabs, the sawed or 
hewed sides turned up and the legs Avere driven into two 
holes bored angling, thus making a firm but not a very 
comfortable seat, as there were no backs to lean against. 



56 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Around the slied were built also camps for eating and 
sleeping in. The sleeping berths were arranged in tiers 
one above another so as to accommodate a greater num- 
ber. The camp grounds best known in this section were 
the Methodist at Pond Spring, three miles west of Sweet- 
water, and the Cumberland Presbyterian, three and one- 
half miles north of Sweetwater. 

Some very curious phenomena attended tlie early 
camp meetings. Different persons explained them dif- 
ferently. By some they were attributed wholly to su- 
]iernatui'al causes, by others to material or natural 
causes, still others ]:>artly to both. Whatever may have 
been the true explanation the facts themselves were un- 
deniable. Tliese happenings extended over quite a wide 
territory; ]mrts of Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North 
Carolina and Georgia. 

Dr. Price, ^'Holston Methodism," Vol. I, page 340-1-2 
quotes a Presbyterian divine. Rev. James Gallaher, as 
saying: 'The awful solemnity which now arrested the 
public mind was accompanied with bodily affections as 
notable and singular as those of Saul on his way to Da- 
mascus. Stout, stubborn sinners, bold, brazen-fronted 
blasphemers were literally cut down by the 'sword of 
the Spirit,' under the preaching of the Gospel men would 
drop to the ground as suddenly as if they had been smit- 
ten by liglitning. Among these were many men in the 
prime of life — strong business men, men whom no hu- 
man being ever thought of charging with enthusiasm. 

''Holston Methodism," Vol. TI, has this from the pen 
of Lorenzo Dow: ''I have seen Presbyterians, Quakers, 
Baptists, Church of England people and Independents 
exercised with the jerks, gentleman and lady, l)lack and 
white, the aged and the young, rich and poor witliout 
exception, from which I infer as it can not be accounted 
for on national principles and carries such marks of in- 
voluntary motion, that it is no trifling matter, 

"On the 20th (August, 1803), I passed a meeting house 
where I observed tliat the undergrowth had been cut 
down for a camp meeting and from fifty to one hundred 
saplings left brenst high, which to me appeared so Slov- 
enish that I could not but ask jny guide the cause, who 
observed that they were topped so high and left for ]ieo- 
ple to jerk 1>y. This so excited my attention that I went 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 57 

over tlio ground to view it and found that the people liad 
laid hold of the stumps and jerked so violently that they 
had kicked up the earth as a horse stamping at flies."' 

Let us mount a motor car, speed along the streets of 
the populous city and approach the grand cathedral. 
As we draw near its twin towers rise into the sky line. 
The building planned by the mind of some Christopher 
Wren, though immense in its proportions, is intensely 
pleasing to the beholder even to the smallest detail. The 
architect makes the whole world tributary to liim. The 
solid granite of the foundations is hewed from the Ap- 
palachian hills, the pure marble of tlie facade is from 
the quarries of Vermont, the heroic statues, the gar- 
goyles and the figures which adorn the niches and cor- 
ixlces have been chiseled from stone transported from 
Italy. "We enter the arched portals between the towers. 
We are struck by the grandeur and beauty of the in- 
terior, the lofty galleries are supported by colunnis of 
onyx and porphyry from Mexico; the dome is frescoed 
by great European artists; the stained windows are of 
glass manufactured from crystal quartz of the Rockies 
and colored with the blue of the sky, the gorgeous hues 
of the sunset, the purple from the hills of Arizona, the 
green of the mountain cedars, the variegated blooms 
of the garden flowers; the chancel is formed of costly 
woods from the isles of the sea; the magnificent organ 
is replendent with the gold of Alaska; tlie winds of 
heaven are made captive to the will of man, they breathe 
the soft notes of the flute, the plaintive strains of the 
viola, or give forth tlie hoarse roar of the tempest; the 
trained harmonies of the white robed choir float enchant- 
ingly down from the gallery through the incense laden 
atmosphere; the surpliced minister chants the lesson 
of the day in resonant tones ; everything that wealth can 
purchase or cultivated taste suggest is there ; every art 
of man has there some representative production; the 
least image in the niche and the great paintings in the 
dome all impress you ; every sense is held and concpiered 
by the surroundings ; you swell with pride of race ; you 
exclaim, "How wonderful, how complex is man ; in move- 
ment how graceful ; in conception how like an angel ; in 
creative powers how like a god ! " 

Yet, how utterly false this all is; how prone we are 



58 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

to be puffed up wdth our own self conceit and how eas- 
ily we can deceive ourselves ! We build a temple to the 
Almighty but shut out God's sunshine, and light a faint 
taper of our own upon the altars. We listen with de- 
light to the paid singers and disregard the music of the 
spheres. We sit in our ten thousand dollar pew and hear 
the doctrines of the meek and lowly Jesus discoursed in 
words that cost us a dollar a minute. Under such cir- 
cumstances how dare the speaker offend the pew hold- 
ers? 

After all, what have we mortals to take so much pride 
in ? We know no more of the mystery of life, what it is, 
than w^hen Adam delved and Eve span. We come not 
here of our own will and seldom go of our own will. A 
germ, a breath of gas, a drop of hj^drocyanic acid and 
man becomes, as far as this world is concerned, less than 
a worm, merely a clod of dirt. 

Scientists tell us that there are creatures so small that 
ten thousand of them can dance on the point of a nee- 
dle and have plenty of room to spare. A man can de- 
stroy ten millions of them at a bloAv, but he can no more 
create the least one of them than he can make a woi'ld. 
Yet these animalculae bear no more infinitesimal relation 
to the earth than our planet does to the illimitable uni- 
serve. AVell might the psalmist say: ''When we con- 
sider the (suns) the moon and stars, the work of Thy 
fingers, what is man that Thou art mindful of him, or 
the son of man that Thou visitest him?" 

When Axley preached in his time it was often in the 
open. He was fanned by the invigorating breezes, shaded 
by magnificent forest trees, in hearing of the murmur 
of waters, in sight of the shining sun and the blue arch 
of heaven above. There were no works of man surround- 
ing to hypnotize the senses and divorce the attention of 
the audience from the Father and Creator. 

He (Axley), Avanted no luxuries and therefore feared 
no withdrawal of salary. He hesitated not to attack 
what he considered the evils and vices of the day. 

The preaching of those pioneers of the Methodist 
church in effect, though astonishing, is by no means 
without parallel. We arc told that aforetime, "In those 
days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilder- 
ness." He was a man plain in raiment and food but 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 59 

multitudes flocked to him. He had a message to deliver. 
In the eleventh century a comparatively insigniticant 
hermit priest came forth from his cave in the mountains 
and by the zeal and frenzy of his discourses stirred up 
all Christendom. He started a series of crusades which 
cost millions of lives and almost bankrupted every king- 
dom in Europe, His cry was, ''Down with the Infidel. 
Rescue the tomb of the Saviour from dominion of the 
Mohammedans." Yet this was merely a sentiment and 
not inculcated by any tenet of the Christian faith. Ax- 
ley's message, in conjunction with the salvation of sin- 
ners, was against Masonry, Slavery, Whisky, Tobacco 
and the Fashions. He had a discourse which he reserved 
for important occasions. Dr. Price calls it his sermon 
on the "abominations." The text he sometimes used was 
"Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh 
and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Yet 
he could on occasion denounce the evils as he considered 
them spoken of above, regardless of text. 

It may appear strange to us now that a minister should 
attempt to start a crusade against Masonry or any be- 
nevolent organization. Brotherhoods are as thick now 
as leaves in Valhambrosa, (No matter where that is and 
however thick the leaves may be there.) A man who does 
not belong at this day to some society or brotherhood 
is as lonesome as Robinson Crusoe on the island before 
Friday came, Ou'e person can call another brother with 
perfect freedom. If he is not your brother in church 
or society or federation, he more than likely may belong 
or has belonged to your political party. In Axley's day, 
]iarticularly in the latter part of his life, there was much 
prejudice against the Masonic order, A man named Mor- 
gan, who was or had been a member of the fraternity 
wrote a book purporting to expose the secrets of Free 
Masonry. Quite a while afterward he disappeared and 
if any one knew when or how, it was never made public. 
The Masons were charged with being responsible for 
his disappearance, Tlie country was wrought up. Wni. 
Wirt, who had become famous as prosecuting attorney 
in the case of the United States against Aaron Burr 
for treason, was the nominee of the Anti-Masonic party 
at a convention held in Baltimore in 1831, Mr. Wirt was 
a finished orator and a very distinguished man. He is 



f 



60 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATEli VALLEY 

noted as the autlior of a life of Patrick Henry. If he 
had been really great he would not have allowed his 
name to be used in such a connection, for what could he 
have accomplished even if he had been elected? How- 
ever he was ignominiously defeated. The opposition 
soon died away. 

Not so with Axley. He quoted: "For every one that 
doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light 
lest his deeds should be reproved." With him secrecy 
was the synonym of darkness and publication of light. 
If there is any good in it why not give the world the 
benefit of it? Why hide 3^our light under a bushel? Let 
everything be done in the open; do away with your se- 
cret signs and symbols; abolish your dark, mysterious 
meetings! He (Axley) did not know that there is no 
true Mason that is ndit an earnest seeker after Light. 
He was probably unaware that in the time of the Em- 
peror Nero the Christians had a symbol by which one 
believing brother made himself known to another. A 
fish was drawn with a staff or switch upon dust or sand. 
If the explanation was known to the observer it was sig- 
nificant, otherwise it was meaningless. It is related that 
the Emperor never discovered the true explanation even 
by torture. His persecutions and that of others forced 
the Christians for purpose of worship and burial to 
build the catacombs beneath the city Rome. Even to 
tliis day they are considered among tlie wonders of the 
world. 

He (Axley), had not the slightest conception that Ma- 
sonry reaches back far beyond the dawn of written his- 
tor}'. It was hoary with antiquity when the ]3yramids 
rose to their dizzy heights from the sands of ancient 
Egypt; before the spliynx smiled and Thebes flourished 
on the banks of the Nile, it was ; Moses learned in all the 
arts of the Egyptians was a Mason ; so Zerubabel, Solo- 
mon, Hiram of Tyre, the wi,se men, the Magi, who saw 
the Star in the East; Jesus was a priest after th(^ or- 
der of Melchisedek, a degree of Masonry conferred upon 
Him by the Mahatmas of India ; Richard I belonged to 
the order, Saladin, AVashington, James K. Polk; thous- 
ands of worthies could be mentioned but without nam- 
ing further one might say it was rather a respectable 
and ancient fraternity. The beautv and i-'lorv of Ma- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 61 

soni'Y is that it is world-wido. Any male of lawful ai>,"e, 
with a belief in a supreme Being, and of good moral 
character and f I'ee born can be made a Mason ; provided 
he obtains the unanimous consent of the members of the 
lodge to which he has been recommended for admission. 

It differs radically from Christianity in this respect 
that it is not reformatory. A man ought to be above re- 
proach before he is made a Mason. Most of the tenets 
of the Masonic fraternity can be known and read of the 
world. There is not near so much secrecy as is supposed. 
If one reads the Masonic Text Book of Tennessv^e care- 
fully and thoughtfully he can know more of the princi- 
ples of Masonry than some members of the order know. 
This can be bought through any reliable book store, if 
you are desirous of information. 

Dr. Price relates: *'Axley cherished an inveterate 
hatred to slavery, and often preached against it. Wliile 
on the Opelousas circuit in 1807 in Louisiana his tirades 
against slavery brought on him not only the censure of 
the church but of tlie community, the most of whom 
were slaveholders. He took the extreme ground that 
no slaveholder could be saved in Heaven or was a proper 
person for admission into the church. His views pre- 
sented from the pulpit made him so unpopular that he 
found it difficult to obtain food or shelter. But he con- 
tinued inexorable till relieved of his charge by the pre- 
siding elder, who found him in rags and well-nigh fam- 
ished from hunger." 

On the subject of slavery he was in agreement with the 
early bishoiis of the Methodist Protestant Episcopal 
church. Then it had few apologists and no real defend- 
ers. The mountain people were not usually slave owners. 
John Allison in ''Dropped Stitches in Tennesse History** 
says that the first abolition paper in the United States 
was started at Jonesboro, Tenn., by Elihu Embree. It 
required no particular exhibition of nerve to do so. Even 
long before this there had been various manumissions of 
slaves and at that time within the bounds of the Hol- 
ston Conference if the majority were not abolitionists 
they doubted the moral right of one human being to hold 
another in enforced servitude. Yet in East Tennessee 
during Axley's day the people were not so highly 
wrought u]) over the (jucstion of slavery until after the 



62 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

secession of the Southern from their Northern brethren 
of the Methodist Protestant Episcopal church and the 
setting- up of a separate church government in 1844, This 
happened some time after the death of Axley. Had he 
lived what action he would have taken is conjectural. 

From that time on the Southern Methodists, if they 
did not contend for the absolute right of slavery accord- 
ing to the Bible, held that emancipation and making 
the negro citizens at home or emancipation and coloniza- 
tion abroad would be equally impracticable. The ques- 
tion was as bitterly fought in church as in politics and 
helped greatly to precipitate the Civil War. 

In Axley 's times the people were not so fully agreed 
as to the evils of alcoholic drinks. It was not commonly 
considered disreputable as now to make or sell whiskey 
.or brandy. There was no internal revenue tax on the 
manufacture or sale of intoxicants. Fruits which would 
otherwise be a total loss could be made into brandy and 
thus be a matter of considerable profit. Twenty-five 
or thirty cents a gallon or even less was considered a 
fair price for what was called ^'good" whiskey or bran- 
dy. Most people kept it and it was not uncommon to pass 
the bottle around. They had it on hands presumably for 
sickness, as most of it was kept until it was of some 
age, what was drank then w^ould now be termed a su- 
perior article. It is not a matter of surprise that indis- 
position requiring stimulants were not at all uncom- 
mon. A doctor who would not prescribe whiskey for 
ailments (with or without roots and herbs) was either 
a crank or did not understand the nature of symptoms ; 
so they took it anyhow. Axley in private and public 
talked and preached against stilling, drinking and the 
traffic in drink in terms that raised a blister. I have 
lieard the Rev. James Sewell, who was well acquainted 
with Axley, tell how one of his neighbors, who had be- 
come very angry with him for some remarks he had 
made in the pulpit about drinking, went to his house 
early one morning for the purpose of giving him a ''gen- 
teel thrashing," unless he took back what he had said. 
After he had stated his business Axley quietly remarked 
that when he called at the gate he was about to have 
family prayers and as that was something he never put 
off or neglected, he would be very much pleased if he 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 63 

would join them, and afterwards if nothing else would 
do, he would try his best to accommodate him. He ac- 
cepted the invitation. Axley prayed (not as the preacher 
Bob Taylor used to tell about when a bully threatened 
him, mentioning how many fights he had had and al- 
ways been victorious) but it was equally etfective. He 
.offered up a fervent petition for the salvation of the 
young man and that he would see the error of his ways. 
When the prayer was over he thanked Axley, shook hands 
Avitli him and went away without saying anything fur- 
ther of the whipping he w^as going to give him. 

Axley was largely instrumental in changing public 
sentiment in regard to stilling and dram drinking in the 
Sweetwater community. He was especially severe on 
the women following the fashions, decking themselves 
out with jewelry, fine clothes, frills and furbelows. He 
read frequently the 3rd chapter of Isaiah commencing 
at the 16th verse. He denounced the wearers of ''round 
tires" as he termed the hoop skirts Avorn at that time. 
The reasons he gave for this action I have not learned. 

One of his illustrations (the sense not the language 
is given) was: Sometimes you farmers go out to the 
woods hunting for a good hickory tree to make a maul 
stick out of. After a while you spy one you think is 
well suited to your purpose. It is nice and trim and 
straight, the foliage is green and beautiful and it has 
every appearance of being sound, you therefore cut it 
down and when you come to examine it more carefully 
you find it is rotten at the heart; so many women are 
symmetrical and enticing but are useless in the fam- 
ily circle and unfit material for the church. 

At other times he compared them with the blue jay 
that carries all he has on the back, but of no value ex- 
cept for the plumage and the top knot on the head. 

Notwithstanding all this it appears that his admoni- 
tions were little heeded b}^ the ladies. They considered 
it none of his business. No man is looked up to by them 
as the arbiter of fashion. 

He failed not on occasion to express his opinion on 
the use of tobacco, snuffing, smoking and chewing; but 
chewing was his particular aversion. Judge H. L. White 
in Holston Methodism, Vol. II, is quoted to have said: 
"I confess that father Axlev brought me to a sense 



64 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

of my evil deeds — at least a portion of them — more ef- 
fectually than any preacher I ever heard. ' ' Going on he 
further quotes him in an exhortation as mentioning sev- 
eral things that he was not going to talk about and then 
remarked. ''The thing I was going to talk about was 
chewing tobacco. Now I do hope than when any gentle- 
man comes to church who can't keep from using tobacco 
during the hours of worship he will just take his hat 
and use it for a spit box. You all know we are Metho- 
dists. You all know that it is our custom to kneel when 
we pray. Now" any gentleman can see in a moment how 
exceedingly inconvenient it must be for a well-dressed 
Methodist lady to be compelled to kneel down in a pud- 
dle of tobacco spittle. Judge White says further that 
during Axley's exhortation, "I was chewing and spitting 
my large quid with uncommon rapidity and looking at 
the preacher to catch every word and gesture. When 
at last he pounced upon tobacco, behold, there I had a 
great puddle of ambeor. I quietly slipped the quid out 
of nw mouth and dashed it as far as I could under the 
seats, resolved never again to be found chewing tobacco 
in a Methodist church." 

Axley preached much after ''location" and much in- 
creased his former reputation. He was of such inde- 
pendent character as to be restive under the order of 
the bishop. 

Although very much has been written of his quaint 
sayings and doings not much is now known of his early 
history and that of his family. It is proper here to give 
what one of the descendants says is the true history. 

A grandson of Rev. Jas. Axley says that the history 
be told of himself as folloM^s : "Axley, a Scotchman, and 
his wife and son named James, a boy of twelve years of 
age took passage in a sailing vessel to come to the United 
States in the year 1777. They had a rough and boister- 
ous voyage. Before r<5aching their destination, Axley 
and his wife both took sick and died and their bodies 
Avere consigned to the sea. At the end of the voyage 
at some port of entry on the James River or Chesapeake 
Bay the boy, James, was bound out or sold to one Judge 
Stevens to help pay for passage. Thus he was born in 
Scotland, place not known, and not in Cumberland Coun- 
ty, Va. Judge Stevens observing that he was a 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 65 

bright boy educated him with the intention of maldng 
him a lawyer and making him a partner with himself. 
As has been seen however circumstances and Axley's 
will determined otherwise. If there is any relationship 
between the Tennessee and Virginia Axleys it is not 
known what it is." Whatever may have been his early 
history, that he was uneducated is negatived by the re- 
port of his sermons and exhortations by the Hon. Hugh 
Lawson White and various others. 

Something original and unique stirs the public pulse 
and brings out a crowd. He may have at times used 
slang and uncouth sayings for this purpose. Once he 
got the people together it is agreed on all hands that 
none knew better than he how to hold them. 

Shakespeare has Hamlet say in his soliloquy: "To be 
or not to be that is the question," paraphrasing; to stay 
here or go yonder, or as Ty Cobb would put it, '* re- 
main on the base or try for a home run." This same 
Danish gentleman on reflection concluded "to bear the 
ills he had than fly to others he knew not of." He also 
advised Ophelia, his former sweetheart, against love 
and marriage. Trust not mankind. "We are arrant 
knaves all of us." I am myself a deep dyed villain and 
guilty of crimes mispeakable. ' ' Get thee to a nunnery. ' ' 
Axley maybe knew what awful trouble this same Ham- 
let caused by his advice. Anyhow he faced a dilemma 
of ''to be married or not to be married." Whether to 
take the advice of John Wesley and Francis Asbury, the 
founder and the bishop of the M. E. Church, and remain 
a bachelor or to marry and settle down. T'o marry and 
rear a family on $60 a year, the then maximum sal- 
ary of a circuit rider, was entirely out of the question. 
Even could he reach the high office of a bishop the sal- 
ary of Bishop Asbury in those times was $80 a year 
only. Besides that he endured innumerable hardships. 
He traveled great distances almost wholly on horseback 
and sometimes in inclement weather in the mountains he 
was compelled to spend the night in a hollow log and 
let his horse crop the wild grass for a living. 

It is not at all surprising to us that Axley preferred 
marriage and a fine body of Sweetwater Valley land 
to a precarious support as a circuit rider even with a 
good chance of being elected a bishop. He was located 



66 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

by the Holston Conference in the year 1821. From the 
best information at hand at present he must have pur- 
chased the tracts from Matthew Nelson, Treasurer of 
East Tennessee and the then agent of the State and 
obtained the grants directly from the State. The tracts 
he owned were the northwest quarter of section 1, Town- 
ship 3, Range 1, east, and the south half of the S. E. 
quarter of section 2, T. 3, R. 1 E. He built a house on 
the latter, near a large spring by the side of the Mad- 
isonville road one-half mile southeast from the South- 
ern Railway depot in the town of Sweetwater. It is 
needless to state at that time the town and railroad were 
not in existence or scarcely thought of. He must have 
married and settled there in the early twenties soon 
sfter the Hiwassee purchase from the Cherokee Indians. 
The house he built is still standing though almost a cen- 
tury old. It is diagonally across the road from the J. 
C. Waren (old Ramsey) residence. It is one of the old 
landmarks of the valley. There is growing at this house 
an Isabella grape vine which still (1914) bears grapes 
and which was planted as a slip by Axley previous to 
his death in 1837 ; thus making it more than seventy- 
five years old. At the head of the spring not far from 
the house is a giant oak tiee likely as much as one hun- 
dred and fifty years old. The two tracts of land men- 
tioned Were purchased in 1859 by Col. John Ramsey for 
the sum of $7,000. 

He (Axley), married C;\mthia Earnest one of a fam- 
ily of ten brothers and seventeen gisters. Oh: there 
were patriarchs and matriarchs in those days! The 
Earnests were Greene County people. Cynthia was a 
sister of Mary Ann Earnest who married John Lot- 
speich, Sr., one of the original white settlers of Sweet- 
water Valley. They resided in the brick near the 
Athens road one and a half miles southwest of Sweet- 
water. C^Tithia was considerable younger than Mary 
Ann ; the latter was born in 1789 and the former in 1800. 
The one. died in 1878 and the other in 1882. They are 
both buried in County Line Cemetery. 

Mr. and Mrs. Axley reared a large family. Numerous 
grandchildren and great grandchildren of theirs are now 
living. 

In the marriage license book of Monroe County in 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VAULrEY 67 

the County Court Clerk's office this record is found: 
License issued to Samuel Blair and Cynthia Axley. Cere- 
mony performed July 30, 1844. James Sewell, Minister 
of the Gospel, M. E. Church. I am told the marriage 
did not turn out happily. They did not live together 
many years. 

I make no apology for thus giving at some length the 
history of Rev. James Axley. He was not only one of 
the early settlers but a very remarkable man. He was 
by far the most prominent preacher of the M. E. Church 
residing in the valley. He was brave and outspoken 
and feared not to condemn what he thought wrong or 
commend the right and added to that an unblemished 
character. He would have been a man in any age and 
any country. 

The children of the Rev. James Axley and Cynthia 
Axley were : 

One. James, b. Sept. 8, 1825. d. • 

Two. Samuel Douthard, b. 1827. d. 1903. 

Three. Elijah, b. d. ■ — 

Four. Marilla, b. d. 

Five. Betsy, b. d. 

Six. Jemima, b. d. 

Seven. Matilda, b. d. ■ 

One. James Axlev, married, first, Mary McKenzie 
Dec. 11, 1856. 

Their children were: 

1. James Thomas, b. Oct. 4, 1857. He is a railway con- 
ductor Ogclen, Utah. 

2. John McKenzie, b. D<^c. 31, 1858. Broker in Kan- 
sas City, Mo. 

James Axley married, second, Martha Ann Smith of 
McMinn Co., daughter John Pickens Smith of South 
Carolina, on August 7, 1860. She was born Aug. 12, 
1832, and died Apr. , 1892. Their children were : 

1. Mary Alice, b. May 23, 1861. She married George 
Reynolds of McMinn Co. They reside at Canyon City, 
Texas. 

2. William Wesley, b. Sept. 23, 1862, at the old Axley 
place three miles west of Madisonville, Tenn. He mar- 



68 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

ried Sarah F. N orris, of Lutherville, Ga., Dec. 19, 1895. 
She was the daughter of a Baptist minister. They lived 
first in Sweetwater for several years and then moved 
to Chattanooga, where they now reside. He is a travel- 
ing man. Their children are : 

Robert Chapman (named Chapman from grand- 
mother), born Feb. 14, 1897; Martha Francis, b. Aug. 
31, 1898 ; and William Wesley, Sept. 20, 1901. 

3. Charles Davis, b. Nov. 1, 1864. d. Oct. 5, 1885, at 
Troupe, Tex. 

4. Samuel Wiley, b. Sept. 1, 1866. d. Mar. 10, 1911. 
Kansas City, Mo. 

5. Ella, b. Dec. 4, 1868. Married Oscar Hunt, of Mon- 
roe County, Tenn., Sept. 6, 1894. They reside at Carson 
City, Texas. 

6. Ida, b. June 6, 1870. Married S. P. Tolleson in 
1900. He died in 1902 at Amarillo, Texas. 

Two. Samuel Douthard Axley married Eliza Jane 
Dean Jan. 31, 1860. She was born in July, 1836, and is 
still living (1916). He went to California in 1849 and 
returned in 1857 or 1858 and located on Bat Creek, in 
Monroe Countj^, where he lived on his farm until he died 
in 1903. Their oldest child died in infancy. Their other 
children were : 

2. James, b. Sept. 14, 1862. Married Susan Eliza 
Johnson Mar. 3, 1886. She was born in May 1866. Was 
the daughter of Jacob Kimberland Johnson and Susan 
Swaggerty. He came to Philadelphia, Tenn,, in 1886, 
and moved from there to the James Axley farni three 
miles west of Madisonville in 1898. He was elected Trus- 
tee of Monroe County in 1900 and re-elected twice. He 
is a member of the General Assembly of Tennessee, as 
representative of Monroe County, elected in 1914. He 
lives in Madisonville, The children of James and Susan 
Axley are : 

(1) Walter Brunner, b, Jan. 17, 1887. Married Lois 
Kimbrough Nov. 1909. She was the daughter of Jos. 
Kimbrough. They have two children : Nannie Peck, b. 
Mar, 3, 1911, and James, b, Nov, 16, 1913. 

(2) Jacob Johnson, b. Feb. 16, 1890. Post-office, 
Dairy, Oregon. 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 69 

4. Fred, son of Sam. Douthard Axley, born Nov. 9, 
1865. Died Nov. 17, 1914. He was a farmer on Fork 
Creek. He married Malissa Johnson, daughter of 
Frank J., and granddaughter of Louis Johnson. She 
was born Mar. 13, 1870. They w^ere married Sept. 5, 
1889. Their children are : 

(1) Zehna, b. Aug., 1890. Married Horace King, of 
Sweetwater Oct. 27, 1911. Thev have one child, Lucille, 
b. Aug. 18, 1912. 

(2) Beulah, b. Oct. 17, 1892. 

(3) Hazel, b. Jan. 29, 1899. 

(4) Flora, b. Apr. 6, 1901. 

(5) Blanchard, b. Feb. 5, 1905. 

3. Nevada, b. July 16, 1864. She married C. P. A. 
Woolridge on Oct. 7, 1891. He is a farmer and they 
live near Madisonville. Their children are : 

(1) Birge Littleton, b. Sept. 8, 1892. 

(2) Edna Bond, b. Feb. 12, 1894. 

(3) Ealph, b. Feb. 11, 1896. 

(4) Ivy Modena, b. June 16, 1898. 

5. Arch Bacome, b. Married Samantha Hull 

on July 16, 1896. Their children are: Antel Lee (about 
18), Walter, James Douthard, Tennie May, Sarah, 
Blanche, Jay Hugh, Artie Lou, Gertrude Belle, and in- 
fant b. June, 1916. 

6. Tennessee, b. 1872. Married Douthard Green, 
who is a farmer on Bat Creek, Monroe County. They 
have two children: Francis Irene, b. Feb., 1905, and 
Garland, b. 1907. 

7. Philander, b. Apr. 22, 1873. Married Hattie Kel- 
ler Nov. 14, 1900, who was born Nov. 5, 1880. Their 
children are : Delia Irene, b, Nov. 9, 1902 ; Vola Eulalie, 
b. Feb. 22, 1905 ; Nellie Maude, b. Mar. 9, 1907 ; Ruby 
Alta, b. Jan. 11, 1909 ; Georgia Lois, b. Feb. 8, 1911 ; Vas- 
tine Sticklev, b. Jan. 27, 1913, and Raymond Philander, 
b. Apr. 2, 1915. 

8. T'ressie, b. 1875. Married J. Henry Brakebill, Mar. 
23, 1897. Eight children, three of whom are dead. The 
living are : Robert, Alonzo, Stella, Willis and Clyde. 



70 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

9. Artie Lou, ninth child of Samuel Douthard Axley, 
b. 1880. Married Austin Brakebill, Dec. 7, 1899. Four 
children: Mabel (sixteen), Mary Axley, John Douthard 
and Milburn (eleven). 

Harriet Jeannette Axley, daughter of Elijah and Mar- 
tha Jane Axley was born Aug. 10, 1870. She mar- 
ried Wm. Haun at Rome, Ga., on May 9, 1887. He is 
the son of Abraham Haun of Monroe County, a Baptist 
minister. He (Wm. H.), came to Sweetwater Dec. 17, 
1912, and has been Marshal of the city for three years. 

Their living children are : 

1. Oscar C, b. Feb. 11, 1888. 

2. Ella F., b. Oct. 26, 1890. 

3. Davie Ann, b. March 7, 1893. 

4. Ethel J., b. June 15, 1895. 

5. Elijah C, b. March 27, 1900. 

6. Cora Lee, b. Sept. 16, 1903. 

7. Erskin R., b. Nov. 29, 1906. 

Bessie, daughter E. Axley, married Chas. Rickett, 
Dec. 19, 1898. 

Mack, son, E. Axley, married and lives at Chattanooga. 

Charles, son, E. Axley, married Kittie Moser Dec. 14, 
1899. One child, Eva, "b. 1904. 

Ernest, son, E. Axley, married Ellen Frost. 

Four. Marilla, daughter of Rev. James Axley, mar- 
ried Jesse Fouche, Feb. 24, 1842. They had two chil- 
dren : Jesse and Matilda. Matilda married Har- 
old and they had two children : Margaret, who married 
Heneger, and Jesse, who is unmarried. 

Five. Betsy, daughter Rev. James Axley, married 
Josiah McGuire, Mar. 4, 1850. They moved to Iowa, 
near Des Moines. One son, Carl McGuire, married Mary 
Wilmot. They are bo'th physicians. 

Six. Jemima, married Wm. A. Flemings, Feb, 20, 
1860. They went to Weatherford, Texas, and then to 
Oklahoma. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 71 

Seven. Matilda, young-est child Rev. Jas. Axley, mar- 
ried Wm. Bryan, May 24, 1840, Tliey went to Grainger 
County, Tenn. 

Three. Elijah, third son of Rev. James Axley, mar- 
ried Martha J ane Forshee Dec. 23, 1858. Their children 
are: (1) Bascom, who married Angelina Kinser. They 
live on Dancing Branch, Monroe County, and have con- 
siderable family. 

(2) Cynthia Ella, b. Feb. 24, 1864. Married George 
H. Foland, who was b. Jan. 19, 1862. Died in Sweet- 
water Apr. 15, 1909. Their children: 

(1) Mollie b. Ang. 1, 1885. Married Ed. Colquitt, of 
Sweetwater. Four children: Willie, b. Dec. 21, 1907; 
Gracie, b. Aug. 3, 1909 ; George, b. Mav 6, 1911 ; Edgar, 
b. May 5, 1914. 

(2) Gracie, second child George Foland, b. Jan. 31, 
1887. Married Garfield Stephens, Oct. 4, 1909. 

(3) Henry, b. Aug. 29, 1888. Died Nov. 21, 1913. 

(4) Harvey, b. Sept. 26, 1890. Married Jella Queen, of 
Sweetwater, Sept., 1911. One child, Katherine, b. Sept. 
25, 1913. 

(5) Asburv, b. Jan. 9, 1893. Married Bessie Blanton 
May 31, 1908. One child : James Franklin, b. Apr. 22, 
1915. Live in Sweetwater. 

(6) Martha, b. Mar. 7, 1896. Married Fred Sevmour 
Feb. 7, 1915. 

(7) Hobert, b. Aug. 24, 1897. Married Gertrude Aiken 
June 27, 1915. She was born Jan. 2, 1898. Live in 
Chattanooga. 

(8) Marv, b. May 22, 1899. 

(9) Prudie, b. Feb. 5, 1901. 

(10) Willard, b. July 22, 1903. 

(11) Elijah Eugene, b. May 30, 1906. Died infant. 

Elizabeth, daughter of Elijah Axley, married William 
Lambert Jan. 30, 1896, who is a guard at Brushy Moun- 
tain. 

Mattie, daughter of Elijah Axley, married Lafayette 
Hudgens. They moved to Iowa where he was at one 
time a member of the Legislature. 



72 histoky of sweetwater valley 

William Browder. 

The following sketch was written for the Monroe Dem- 
ocrat and published in that paper of date July 9, 1890. 
The facts given were obtained from Mr. Browder himself 
shortly before his death. He died in Meigs County on 
Sunday, June 29, 1890. He had been living for a num- 
ber of years at County Line in McMinn County but had 
gone on a visit to his son William in Meigs. 

''Wm. Browder was born on February 10, 1792, in 
Chatham County, North Carolina, about twelve miles 
from Hillsboro and twenty-two miles from Raleigh. He 
was therefore at the time of his death 98 years, 4 months 
and 19 days old. 

About the year 1800, two brothers, John and Darius 
Browder, moved from North Carolina to the Browder 
place between Lenoirs and Loudon. Darius Browder 
was the father of William, who was then about 8 years 
of age. At that time Knoxville was a mere village, hav- 
ing about seven or eight stores. The county around Le- 
noirs was a wilderness. Bear, deer, turkeys, wild-cats 
and game were plentiful. 

Wm. Browder enlisted in the war of 1812. . He served 
under Brigadier General White. This brigade camped 
for a long time at the famous Lookout Mountain await- 
ing orders and supplies. The war closed before the 
brigade saw much active service. 

At the time of the encampment at Lookout, no white 
man lived there, as it was before the purchase of the land 
and the removal of the Cherokees to the Indian Nation. 
Jack Ross was then the Cherokee chief and resided in 
that section. Hence the site near the city, now Chatta- 
nooga, was first known as Ross' Landing. 

Darius Browder, the father of William, died in 1812. 

In 1814, William Browder was married to Elizabeth 
Lackey, of Roane County. He afterward moved to what 
is known as the Hugh Goddard place and in one winter 
cleared eleven acres of land. He subsequently moved to 
the Hagler farm on Paint Rock, where he resided until 
1835. He then came to Pond Creek Valley, to the place 
now o^vned by his son, James M. Browder. He lived 
there until 1862, when he went to Georgia, returning to 
this section after the war was over. Since then he has 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 73 

lived principally with his son, David Browder, and since 
his (David's) decease, with his widow. 

William Browder was a man vigorous in mind and 
body, of great industry and sterling integrity. 

It would naturally follow that endowed with these 
qualities his life was eminently useful and successful. 
The history of his life would be the history of the sec- 
tion in which he lived. 

When he came to Tennessee, John Sevier the first 
Governor of our state was still governor. The Cherokee 
Indians occupied our section and warred, roamed and 
hunted amid the virgin forests scarcely touched by the 
axe of the white man. He had seen the Indian go from 
their hunting grounds ; the wheat and corn take the place 
of the forest ; school-houses, churches, railroads and all 
the concomitants of civilization rise where erstwhile 
roamed the bear and deer. 

He has seen a great number of his descendants grow 
to be good and useful men and occupy prominent posi- 
tions in the country. He can count his descendants in 
various parts of the Union. There are few, if any of 
them who do not reflect credit upon the name. Many of 
his children and grandchildren have passed before him 
to the other shore. They will be there to welcome his 
coming at the Golden Gates. 

He, more than most men, because of such a long and 
useful life, has seen the abundant harvests of his good 
works while still alive. Whatever was for good and for 
the upbuilding of society he has been foremost in, and 
has spent his time and money for its success. 

One of his last works was the Browder Memorial 
Church, for the building of which he furnished the prin- 
cipal part of the money. 

He was an ardent man and took an active part in busi- 
ness, in politics and church matters. In politics he was 
a democrat. 

When President Cleveland visited Atlanta, Mr. Brow- 
der went down saying that he wished to shake hands 
with another Democratic President before he died. 

When voting day came around, he was always to be 
found at the polls. He thought it as much a duty to vote 
as to go to church. 

He was a zealous Methodist and contributed greatly 



74 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

to the success of that societj' in this section of the coun- 
try. He always went to preaching and there is hardly 
a man, woman or child in a circuit of ten miles who has 
not heard Brother Bxowder lead in prayer. He sup- 
ported his church with time and means. He believed 
that each church should meet promptly its obligations, 
pecuniary as well as religious, and he labored to that 
end. 

In all the relations of life, as farmer, neighbor, cit- 
izen, church member and as father of a numerous fam- 
ily, he has been everything that could be desired. Few 
men in any country have been loved, revered and re- 
spected as he was. He has indeed been a good and faith- 
ful servant and has gone to his rew^arcl. " 

Children of William and Elizabeth Browder: Mary- 
line, oldest child, married James Stone. Their children 
were Malinda and Elizabeth. Malinda married Wm. 
Murray of Pond Creek Valley, in the fall of 1850. They 
moved to Missouri and reared a large farmily. Eliz- 
abeth was married to Estel Low^e in the fall of 1851. 
There w^ere six of the Lowe children, 5 boys and 1 girl. 
James now living in Knoxville; David, dead; '' Billy '^ 
lives in Texas; Samuel and Lee both dead; Josephine 
died at the age of 8 years. 

Elizabeth Stone Lowe died in 1863 or 1864. 

William, third child and second son of William and 
E. B., b. in 1822. He married Sarah Deatherage in 1848. 
She died at Harriman in 1911, aged 90 years. Tliey lived 
in Sweetwater Valley many years, part of the time at 
County Line the D. A., now C. 0. Browder place. They 
went from there to near Nashville. They came probably 
in the early 80 's to Meigs County, where he died in 
1906. They had no family. 

Darius, son of William and E. B., was b. . 

He moved to Bradley County, where he died in 1892. 

John Jefferson (oldest son of W. and E. B.), b. Nov. 
9, 1818 ; d. July 14, 1903. 

James Madison (son of W. and E. B.), b. October 16, 
1824; d. September 10, 1902. 

Nancv Jane Crump (daughter of W. and E. B.), b. 
May 1?; 1839; d. April 25, 1872. 

(She married J. H. Pickel w^hom see.) 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 75 

David A., youngest son of W. and E. B., b. March 2, 
1835 ; d. April 6, 1883. 

John Jefferson Browder 

Was born near Lenoir City, Tenn., on November 9, 
1818. He was married to Elizabeth J. Lotspeich, De- 
cember 12, 1844. (See Lotspeich.) She was born March 
7, 1825. He was a farmer. They first resided in Pond 
Creek Valley and then afterwards moved to the Brickel 
place, a short time previous to the Civil War. He died 
there on July 14, 1903, and there his widow still re- 
sides. Their children were: 

(One) Elizabeth A. Browder, b. October 10, 1845. 

(Two) Mary F., b. August 24, 1847. Married Wm. 
Cleveland. (See his history.) 

(Third) Amanda J., b. April 12, 1849. Married A. J. 
Dickev. 

(Fourth) William L., b. N'ovember 29, 1850; d. July 
7, 1878. 

(Fifth) Sarah A., b. August 13, 1862; d. September 4, 
1867. 

(Sixth) John W., b. April 1, 1854; d. April 18, 1890. 

(Seventh) Chas. D., b. January 27, 1856. 

(Eighth) Nancy E., b. February 19, 1858; d. March 
27 188'^ 

'(Ninth) Alice, b. March 11, 1866. 

(Tenth) Samuel L., b. September 10, 1868. 

(Eleventh) Charles D. married Nettie Adldns Novem- 
ber 7, 1888. (See Adkins.) He is a farmer. Justice of 
the Peace. He resides near his mother. The family of 
C. D. and Nettie Browder are : 

Mildred, b. August 14, 1889. 

Ernest, b. December 9, 1890. He resides at Port Gib- 
son, Miss. 

Eli, b. May 27, 1894. Student at Emory and Henry 
College. 

Margaret, b. August 29, 1897. 

Amanda J. Browder. 

Amanda was the third child of Jno. Jefferson and 
Elizabeth L. Browder. She married Andrew J. Dickey, 
son of D. H. Dickey, of Pond Creek Valley, on April 16, 



76 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

1872. He was born January 17, 1846. They resided in 
Pond Creek Valley until August, 1889, when they moved 
to the town of Sweetwater. Their children are five in 
number : 

(1) Hugh Browder, b. March 6, 1873. 

(2) Corry Rebecca, b. March 26. 1875. 

(3) David Wesley, b. January 11, 1877. 
(4 Lela, b. August 1, 1880. 

(5) Cecil, b. December 24, 1885. 

Corry Rebecca married John Brown, son of Hon, J. K. 
Brown, and Sarah E. Brown, October 29, 1895. He 
(Jno.) was born in Meigs County, Tenn., on November 
24, 1869. His father came to Sweetwater in 1882. He 
is cashier of the Sweetwater Trust and Savings Bank. 
Their children are: 

(1) Grace Rebecca Brown, b. October 8, 1896. 

(2) Irene Elizabeth Brown, b. August 25, 1898. 

(3) Leta Jane Brown, b. January 2, 1901. 

(4) Gladys Brown, b. October 3, 1903. 

D. W. Dickey was married to Mabel, daughter of 
W. L. and M. E. Clark on January 17, 1907. She was 
born January 18, 1875; died August 1, 1908. Of this 
marriage there was one child, Mabel C. Dickey, born Au- 
gust 1, 1908. He married (2) Miss Clarine Lee, daugh- 
ter of Wm. Thomas, and Margaret Rhinehart Lee, of 
Waynesville, N. C, February 18, 1914. Mr. Dickey has 
been depot and express agent for the Southern R. R. Co., 
from 1902, up to the present time (1916). 

Hugh Browder was married to Miss Buna Bowling of 
Coal Creek, Tenn., June 20, 1912. He is a grocer and 
produce merchant in Sweetwater. 

Cecil married Major J. G. Engleman at Sweetwater 
on May 31, 1911. He was educated at Virginia Military 
Institute, graduating there in Elect. Eng. 1908. He 
was teacher of mathematics and modern language and 
assistant commandant at T. M. I. from 1908-1915. He 
was born in Lexington, Va., on August 26, 1886. His 
postoffice is now (1915), Lexington, Va. 



history of sweetwater valley 77 

Lela Dickey 

Was the second daughter of Andrew J. and Amanda 
B. Dickey. She was married to Henry Lee Cecil, Oc- 
tober 25, 1905. He was born in Pulaski, Va., on March 
8th, 1865. He is secretary and treasurer of Taylor- 
Christian Hat Co., Bristol, Tenn. Tlieir children are 
three in number : 

1. Elizabeth Eloise, b. September 18, 1906. 

2. Juanita Blanche, b. November 20, 1910. 

3. Henry Lee, Jr., b. October 24, 1912. 

Alice, the sixth daughter of J. J. and E. L. B., was 
married to Dr. Joseph Albert Hardin on April 16, 1900. 
He was born in Meigs County on December 10, 1866. He 
was the son of and Hardin. He re- 
ceived the degree of M. D. at Vanderbilt University in 
1883. He was a partner of Dr. D. N. Browder from 1894 

to 1899. Partner of Dr. McClain from 1899 to 

1905. He is now (1915) a practising physician in Sweet- 
water. He has had no partner since 1905. 

James Madison Browder 

Was born in Meigs County, October 16, 1824. He 
moved with his father to Roane County, then to the old 
Browder homestead and lived there in Pond Creek Val- 
ley. He bought this place in 1868 and lived there until 
1893. 

He married Letitia Laird Patterson of Meigs County, 
November 29, 1849. She was born June 20, 1829, and 
died at Sweetwater July 4, 1879, and was buried at Mt. 
Zion, Meigs County. 

James M. Browder was a farmer. Served in the Con- 
federate army as a conscripting officer and refugeed to 
Georgia in 1863. After remaining there one year he re- 
turned home to his family. He moved to Sweetwater, 
December 12, 1893. He was a member of the M. E. 
Church, South. 

He died at Sweetwater, September 10, 1902, of pneu- 
monia, and was buried at County Line Cemetery. 

The children of his first wife were : 

1. Mary, b. August 8, 1851; d. February 7, 1888. 

2. David Newton, b. Julv 31, 1853 ; d. February 5, 1902. 

3. Elizabeth, b. November 20, 1855. 



78 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

4. Ellen, b. March 22, 1858. 

5. James Patterson, b. November 4, 1860. Postoffice, 
Chattanooga, Tenn. 

6. John Jetferson, b. October 15, 1863. 

7. Horace Lackey, b. May 17, 1868. 

8. Lucv Pickens, b. June 16, 1871 ; d. January 3, 1914. 

9. Robert, b. July 27, 1874; d. April 16, 1908. 

1. Mary Browder married J. L. Suddath of Harriman, 
Tenn., on October 25, 1887. Their children were : 

(1) Jennie, b. August, 1880. Postoffice, Harriman, 
Tenn. 

(2) Carrie, b. , 1882. Postoffice, Murfreesboro, 

Tenn. 

(3) Frank, b. October 25, 1884. Emory & Henry, Va. 

(4) George, b. September 5, 1887. , Texas. 



2. David Newton studied medicine at the Electic Col- 
lege, Cincinnati, Ohio, and got his diploma in 1881. He 
married Emma Byrd, daughter of Thomas Byrd, of 
Roane County, on September 1, 1881, when he moved to 
Sweetwater. 

He and Dr. J. A. Hardin were partners during the 
years 1894-1899. After acquiring a lucrative practice 
he attended lectures and took a course of hospital prac- 
tice in New York City. He died February 5, 1902, and 
was interred in West View Cemetery. 

Emma Byrd, his wife was born July 9, 1857, near 
Paint Rock Ferry, Roane County. She resides in Sweet- 
water. Their children are : 

(1) Byrd, a daughter, born October 28, 1882. She 
was musically educated at the Conservatory in Boston. 
Her profession was music teacher. She married 0. K. 
Jones on January 3, 1914. Their child ; John M., Jr., 
b. December 11, 1914. 

(2) Thomas, b. October, 1885. 



3. Elizabeth Browder married James N. Heiskell. 
(SeeHeiskells.) 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 79 

4. Ellen married A. A. Green, formerly of Kingston, 
Tenn., now of Boyd, Texas, on October 30, 1879. He is 
a merchant. 



3. James Patterson Browder was a druggist at Phila- 
delphia, Tenn., from 1887 to 1892 when he moved to 
Harriman. He married Maude Critchell, October 2, 
1895. He has been in the employment of the Standard 
Oil Co., since 1892. His present residence is Chatta- 
nooga, Tenn. His children are : 

(1) Byron, b. Jan., 1899. 

(2) and (3) James and Elise, twins. 
(4) Dorothy, b. June 1, 1908. 



6. John Jefferson Browder married Bettie Taylor, of 
Morristown, Tenn., on November 25, 1889. They moved 
to Washington in September, 1902, where he engaged in 
farming. Present postoffice is Oakdale. Their children 
are : Svdney, Anna, Laura, Van, Robert, Newton, John, 
Kyle, Elbert. 



7. Horace Lackey Browder married Huldah Cleve- 
land, daughter of Eli Cleveland on June 14, 1910. She 
was born in Sweetwater Valley, June 7, 1884. One child, 
Susan Laird, was born October 27, 1911. Horace L. B. 
is now postmaster at Sweetwater, since 1913. 



8. Lucy Browder married W. K. Horton, a merchant 
in Sweetwater, on October 12, 1899. They moved to 
Waynesville, N. C, in April, 1909. Afterwards they 
moved to Harriman, Tenn. She died there. Their chil- 
dren are: 

Helen, b. January 21, 1901. 

W. K., b. May 17, 1903. 

Lucy Browder, b. June 29, 1906. 

***** 

James Madison Browder was married (second!) to 



80 HISTOBY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Elizabeth Armstrong, daughter of and Jane 

Armstrong of McMinn County, Tenn., on December 14, 
1890. She was born September 16, 1858, and died at 
Sweetwater, April 17, 1909. Their children were : 

(1) Samuel P., b. July 8, 1882; d. November 1, 1883. 

(2) Clyde, b. , . Married May Rodgers, 

of Chattanooga, in 1907. They went to Nashville in 
1909. Residence, 1403 Des Monbreun Street. Employee 
of the Standard Oil Co. Their children arer- 

Mary, b. July, 1908. 
Robert, b. July, 1910. 

(3) Zelma Lee, b. September 21, 1888. Married W. 
Roy Plott, now of Statesville, N. C, on April 22, 1914. 
They have one child, Elizabeth, b. March 13, 1915. 

David A. Browder. 

David A., son of Wm. Browder, was born in Roane 
Count}^, March 2, 1835. He moved to Pond Creek about 
1840 or 1841. Married Rachel Dickey, October 12, 1858, 
the Rev. Mack Lillard, officiating. Rachel Dickey was 
born April 17, 1837. David A. Browder was a farmer. 
He was elected a member of the General Assembly of 
Tennessee, November, 1877, for McMinn County. He 
was a member of the M. E. Church, South. He moved 
to the Rowan (Brett) place, at County Line, in 1866, and 
died there April 6, 1883, and is buried at County Line 
Cemetery. He died of pneumonia. His children are: 

(1) William D., b. July, 1859. 

(2) Elizabeth, b. August, 1861. 

(3) D. H., b. September 29, 1863. Commission mer- 
chant. New Orleans, La. 

(4) Frank E., b. May 21, 1867. Manager milling com- 
pany, Mankato, Minn. 

(5) Chas. 0., b. December, 1870. 

(6) Hubert, b. October, 1878. Commission merchant, 
El Paso, Texas. 



William D., married Adda Lou Peak, of Meigs County, 
October 5, 1887, who was born March 18, 1866. He is 
a farmer and live stock dealer. They both belong to 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 81 

the Soutliern Methodist Church. Moved to Sweetwater 
in 1901. Their children are : 

(1) Boy, d. in infancv. 

(2) Hattie May, b. 1895. 



(5) Chas. 0., was married to Georgia Duncan, of At- 
lanta, Ga., June 16, 1906. She was born at Hayesville, 
N. C, August 1, 1869. Her father was J. W. Duncan, a 
physician. Her mother was Mary Curtis. Their chil- 
dren are : 

David Duncan, b. May 29, 1907. 

Chas. 0., b. September 23, 1909. 

Eli Sandersox Adkins 

Was born in Massachusetts, January 6, 1824; d. Feb- 
ruary 20, 1889. His father was Henry Adkins, and his 
mother was Lucinda Grace Adkins, who was born No- 
vember 6, 1792 ; d. Nov. 23, 1869, at Philadelphia, Tenn. 

E. S. Adkins came to Talbot Count}^, Ga., when a 
young man. He was twice married, first to Miss Har- 
ris, of Talbot Countv. They had three daughters: 
Mary Ann, b, July 19", 1849; m. E. W. Cozatt in 1866. 
They had three children : Minnie, b. 1878 ; Rose, b. 1880 ; 
Lee, b. 1888. 

2. Louisa Jane, b. October 2, 1850; m. Joe M. Jones 
in 1869. He died in 1870, leaving one daughter, Josie. 

Louisa married (second) M. C. Duncan in 1875. Their 
children were : William, b. 1875 ; Walter, b. 1877 ; Worth, 
b. 1879; Eli, b. 1881; Lenoir, b. 1883; Emma, b. 1886; 
Ethel, b. 1889. 

E. S. Adkins married (second) Elizabeth Mildred 
Childs, of Talbot County, Ga. She was born March 12, 
1841; d. March 7, 1874." They came to Philadelphia, 
Tenn., in November, 1865. Their children were : 

1. Emma Sophia, b. August 31, 1857. Married E. C. 
Jones, September 15, 1873. (See Jones.) 

2. Fannie Amelia, b. February 18, 1859, in Talbot 
County, Ga. ; m. W. G. Lenoir. (See Lenoir.) 

3. Nettie Grav, b. January 5. 1861 ; m. C. D. Browder 
in 1888. (See Browder.) 



82 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

4. Eli Sandorson, b. April, 1863. Married. Wife died 
leaving one daughter who is married. E. S. A. is a mer- 
chant and ranchman and lives at Pony, Mont. 

5. Annie Mildred, b. April 26, 1866; m. W. C. Can- 
non in 1890. (See Cannon.) 

6. Henry, b. January 5, 1868 ; m. Kate Owen, of Sweet- 
water, Tenn., October, 1898. Thev have two daughters : 
Katherine, b. 1900, and Henry Taylor, b. 1902. They 
live at Pony, Mont. 

7. Charles Childs, b. January 25, 1872 ; m. Grace Big- 
low in 1905. He died in 1911. They lived at Livingston, 
Hont. They had no children. 

Franklin King Berry, Sr. 

Was born near Williamsburg, Ky., March 25, 1809. He 
married Emily, daughter of Thomas Laughlin, of Phila- 
delphia, Tenn. He died October 28, 1845. He was buried 
in the old cemetery at Philadelphia. His wife was born 
January 26, 1823, and died October, 1884. Mrs. Berry's 
second husband was W. R. Molleston, of Philadelphia, 
who died January 25, 1872, at age of 63 years. The chil- 
dren of F. K. and Emily Berry were : 

One. F. K. Berry. He was born at Philadelphia, De- 
cember 4, 1841. He was a practising physician and a 
farmer. He married Caroline Cleveland, daughter of 
Robert R. Cleveland on April 15, 1868. They had a hand- 
some residence not far from the Cleveland Baptist 
Church on Sweetwater Creek, where they lived during 
nearly all their married life. 

Mrs. Berry was b. February 2, 1843. She d. Septem- 
ber 16, 1910. Buried in West View Cemetery at Sweet- 
water. 

Children of Dr. F. K. and Mrs. Caroline Berry are : 

1. Frank E. Berry; was b. January 28, 1869. He m. 
Julia, daughter of J. L. Willson, of Pond Creek Valley. 
He (Berry), is a farmer and lives at Marble Bluff in Lou- 
don County on the Tennessee River, seven miles from 
Loudon, his postoffice. 

2. Robert S. C. Berry, b. December 30, 1870; m. Ber- 
tie Healan, of Ringgold, Ga., December 9, 1897. He is 
a merchant and resides at Morristown. One child, Ro- 
berta, b. June 7, 1900. 






HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 83 

3. Nina, b. October 14, 1873 ; d. July 27, 1897. 

4. Emily Ethel, b. November 4, 1875 ; m. J. Frank Mc- 
Guire, December 17, 1894, He is a farmer. They reside 
in Sweetwater. 

The children of J. F. and E. E. McGuire are : 
Charles Euclid, b. September 28, 1895 ; Dorothy Car- 
oline, b. August 23, 1897; Frank Ralph, b. January 1, 
1900 ; Hilda, b. January 7, 1903 ; Jean Nicholas, b. Feb- 
ruary 24, 1906; Halstead, b. October 11, 1909; Ethel B., 
b. September 16, 1912. 

5. Luke Danton, b. July 26, 1879; m. Julia Stowers. 
Tlieir address is Cushing, Okla. 

Annie Eliza, b. September 21, 1881; m. Virgil T. 
Rausin, June 6, 1906. He is a merchant in Sweetwater. 
Children are : 

V. T. Rausin, Jr., b. June 13, 1907 ; Kermit Wendell 
Rausin, b. April 1, 1910; Buford Quentin, b. March 25, 
1916. 



Two. Sidney, b. in Philadelphia, August 17, 1844. 
(See C. Y. Caldwell.) 

Charles Y. Caldwell. 

Charles Y. Caldwell was born in Pike County, Georgia, 
February 17, 1847. He came to Sweetwater Valley with 
his mother in 1855, wdio came' to Philadelphia, Tenn., in 
that year. He w^as married to Sidne}^ Berry, of Phila- 
delphia, on November 5, 1868. She was born in Phila- 
delphia, August 17, 1844. He engaged in farming while 
located there. He moved to California in 1875 and 
moved back to Tennessee in 1876, where he farmed at 
the old home place until 1901, when he went to Wuako- 
mis, Okla. Their children are : 

Charles Sydney, b. December 20, 1872 ; m. Mary Kline, 
of Loudon, Tenn., May 6, 1896, going to Waukomis, Okla., 
where they now live. 

Robert Marvin, b. June 7, 1878 ; m. Maude, daughter of 
J. L. Willson, January 18, 1911, going to Waukomis to 
make it their home. 

Fred. Roy, b. April 7, 1883 ; m. Bertie D. Johnston, of 
Oklahoma City, August 6, 1913. They live at Wuakomis. 



84 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Martha Emily, b. in California, September 1, 1875; 
d. December 18, 1876. 

Frank Berry, b. August 15, 1869 ; d. December, 1898. 
Mary, b. January 15, 1871 ; d. December 18, 1876. 

T. W. Bellamy 

Was born in Louisa County, Va., June 15, 1806. He 
came to Sweetwater Vallev in 1853. He married Sarah 
Griffin, April 3, 1828. She was born June 4, 1809, and 
died December 27, 1887. T. W. B. died September 4, 
1889. Their children were : 
■ William, b. December 23, 1828 ; d. July 15, 1847. 

Mary Ann, b. April 13, 1830; d. August 28, 1854. 

John Daniel, b. September 20, 1831. Lives in Benton, 
111. 

Newton Walker, b. June 28, 1833. 

Thomas Conner, b. in Louisa County, Va., February 
16, 1835. 

He came to Sweetwater with his father in 1853. He 
was employed in the cooper shop of McClung, Dobbins 
& Clayton. He was married. His children were eleven 
in number: six boys and five girls. Four girls died 
single. Three of the sons are married. Andy, the old- 
est one, is the father of eleven children. He is employed 
by Moore & Co., barytes manufacturers. 

Andrew Bellamy, son of T. W. B., was born October 
15, 1838. In the Civil War he enlisted in Colonel Jno. 
A. Rowan's regiment, 67th, C. S. A., Company D., Cap- 
tain Robert Rowan, Priscilla Frances, daughter of 
T. W. B., b. October 28, 1840; m. W. B. Sample, Julv 25, 
1858. W. B. Sample was b. August, 1833 ; cl. 1899. Eliz- 
abeth Melissa, b. April 4, 1843 ; m. Professor J. S. Cline ; 
she died June 19, 1913. Henry Washington, b. December 
26, 1848. He is a Baptist minister of Mendota, Va. 

Alexander Biggs 

Was one of the oldest settlers in Sweetwater Valley. 
He acquired land in 1820 soon after the Hiwassee Dis- 
trict was open for settlement. On his tract adjoining 
Mayes and Heiskell near the large spring on the north 
side of the now town of Sweetwater, he built a one- 
story brick residence, which is still standing. This is 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 85 

one of the oldest brick houses in the valley. It was oc- 
cupied continuously by the Biggs until the yeav 

when the farm was purchased by G. M. McKnight. In- 
formation in regard to the Biggs family is now hard to 
obtain, as there are no li\T.ng descendants in this section; 
one son went to California and his address is not known 
to the writer. 

Alexander Biggs; date of birth, death and where 
came from, not known. Isabella Biggs (inscription on 
stone in Sweetwater Cemetery) was born January 7, 
1789 ; died January 12, 1877. She was the wife of Alex. 
Biggs. Their children were : 

Mary Ann, Nancy, Alexander Hamilton and J. M. 
Mary Ann and Hamilton never married. Nancy m. Rev. 
Thos. R. Bradshaw, April 2, 1861; no children. Mr. 
Bradshaw was a learned Presbyterian minister and was 
the second pastor of the New School Presbyterian Church 
at Sweetwater, Rev. Thos. Brown, of Philadelphia, 
Tenn., having been the first. (See history of Presby- 
terian Church.) 

Solomon Bogart 

"Was the son of Abram and Duncan Bogart, 

formerly of Washington County. They moved to King- 
ston, Tenn., and then to Athens, Tenn. 

Solomon Bogart was born in Washington County on 
January 4, 1800. He died at his home (which was 
located where the Bogart High School building now 
stands), at Philadelphia, on June 9, 1878. His wife was 
Ann Moore. She was born December 21, 1821. She died 
November 24, 1860. 

Solomon Bogart was a hotel keeper, teacher and land 
surveyor. He first kept hotel at Athens, Tenn., which 
he advertised as a strictly temperance hotel, meaning by 
that, that he allowed no one drinking or carrying whiskey 
with them to put up at his hotel. I have been told that 
he refused to keep General Winfield Scott because the 
general carried a bottle, and on stated occasions took his 
toddy. 

Solomon Bogart came to Philadelphia, Tenn., from 
Athens, Tenn., in 1847. He was a leading member of 
the Presbyterian church, which was located in the cem- 



86 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

etery across the creek from and west of the town of 
Philadelphia. He reared a large family, eight of whom 
reached years of maturity and became highly respected 
and influential citizens. These children were : 

1. Franklin, b. May 23, 1827; d. May 8, 1887. 

2. Margaret, b. Julv 12, 1829 ; d. August 5, 1879 ; m. J. 
W. Goddard. (See Goddard.) 

3. Newton, b. October 14, 1831 ; d. May 26, 1889. 

4. Columbus, b. , 1833 ; d. during the war at 

Danville, Ind. He was a soldier in the Civil War, serv- 
ing on the staff of General Spears, U. S. A. 

5. Susan, b. August 21, 1836; m. "W. Cannon. (See 
Cannons.) 

6. Elizabeth, b. February 8, 1839 ; d. July 6, 1898. 

7. Barbara, b. September 19, 1840 ; d. July 22, 1866. 
(See S. Y. B. Williams.) 

8. Martha, b. January 6, 1844. Resides at Philadel- 
phia, with her sister, Mrs. W. Cannon, 

9. Mary Cornelia, b. September 26, 1845 ; d. Nov. 21, 
1864. 

1. Dr. Franklin Bogart studied medicine and settled 
at Tellico Plains, Tenn. On January 21, 1857, he was 
married (first) to Elizabeth McEwen, daughter of 
George and Sarah Gaines. He came to Sweetwater soon 
after the town was started, purchased property and 
practised his profession until his death. His first wife 
died October 8, 1873. They are both buried in the old 
cemetery at Sweetwater. Their children were : 

(1) Thomas Cannon, d. in 1860 at the age of 3 years. 

(2) Walter G., b. April 13, 1858; m. Lorella Magill, 
OctolDer 15, 1884. He studied medicine at Nashville and 
graduated in the medical department of the University 
of Tennessee. He is also a post graduate of Belle View 
Medical College of New York. He practised his profes- 
sion in Sweetwater until 1888. He then went to Chatta- 
nooga and was a partner of Dr. G. C. Magee. He was 
Professor of Diseases of Women and Obstetrics in the 
Medical College at Chattanooga for twenty-one years. 

- He was founder of the Highlands Sanatarium in that 
city. Lorella Magill was daughter of Jas. Magill and 
Lizzie Lowry and granddaughter of James L. and sister 
of Harrison and Robt. Lowry. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 87 

The children of W. G. and Lorella Bogart are: 
Elizabeth G., m. T. C. Olney in 1910. Franklin Magill, 
b, at Sweetwater in March, 1888. 

(3) John Newton, b. June 2, 1862, third son of F. and 
E. Bogart ; was a graduate of the University of Tennes- 
see and took the course in literature at Johns Hopkins 
University. He afterwards took a similar course at the 
University of Oxford, England. He was a teacher of 
English in the schools of New Orleans, La., at the time 
of his death 

(4) Anna, b. December 20, 1864; d. February 7, 18'93. 

(5) William Moore, fourth son of F. and E. Bogart, 
was born February 27, 1867. He married Keturah M. 
Thompson, November 10, 1892, She is the daughter of 
Franklin Blevins and Gurley Thompson, of Chattanooga. 
Their children are Franklin Blevins, b. May 15, 1894; 
Martha Josephine, b. June 7, 1898, and Emma Mary, b. 
January 7, 1901. 

W. M. B. is a practising physician at Chattanooga. 

(6) Frank Augustus, b. in 1868; d. at 3 years of age. 
Dr. Franklin Bogart married (second) Martha Ellen 

Cannon, daughter of Robert and Ann Galbraith Cannon, 
on October 28, 1879. She resides at Sweetwater. 

3. New^ton, second son of Solomon and Ann Bogart, 
when a young man was employed by William Lenoir and 
Brothers at Lenoir's, Tenn., in the early fifties, and re- 
mained with them until 1870, when he was employed by 
the E. T. V. & G. R. R. as master of trains, and, after- 
wards as superintendent. He was a director anct stock- 
holder of the East Tennessee National Bank of Knox- 
ville, Tenn., and died possessed of a considerable for- 
tune, a part of which he left to Loudon and Monroe coun- 
ties, the interest on the amounts given to be applied 
yearly to the public school fund. 

John D. Bowman. 

The Bowman family, as the name implies, came from 
England. 

John D. Bow^man was born in Blount County, Tenn., 
March 4, 1816. He was married to Susan Jackson, who 
was born March 5, 1820. She was the oldest child of 
Josiah and Mary Jackson, of Blount County. They 
came to Sweetwater Vallev and settled near the big 



88 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

spring one and one-half miles south of Sweetwater, on 
the tract now ow^ned by Kilpatrick. They lived there un- 
til October 1, 1857, when they moved to Texas, where he 
purchased land in Collins County, dying at Piano, Feb- 
ruary 27, 1852. Collins County was very sparsely set- 
tled at the time he moved there as one of the pioneers — 
his descendants are now prominent among a prosperous 
and numerous people. 

The children of John D. and Susan Bowman were: 

1. Marv, b. February 2, 1839; d. February 25, 1875. 

2. Julia, b. February 1, 1840; d. September 5, 1868. 

3. Jackson, b. November 6, 1841. 

4. George, b. April 19, 1844. 

5. Nancy. 

6. James, and Callie, all three of whom died when 
children, at the Bowman place near Sweetwater, of scar- 
let fever in the epidemic of that disease, in the summer 
of 1856. They were buried in the old Jackson burying 
ground, in Blount County, on the Little Tennessee River. 

8. Fannie, b. in 1852, m. James Florence, of Piano, 
Texas ; had no children. 

1. Mary married Wm. Lovelace. Their children were 
Laura, John, William, James, Ella and George. 

2. Julia married Joseph Eussell, of Plana, Texas, and 
had one child, John. 

3. Jackson married Dora Dye, of Piano, whose daugh- 
ter, Flora, married Edgar Wall, of Tampa, Fla., whose 
children were : Jack, Minnie, May and James B. 

4. George W., who married Eliza McFarland, Feb- 
ruary 3, 1875, wdio died January 29, 1890. They had one 
son, J. Richard Bowman, who w^as born April 17, 1876. 
He was a lawyer a Piano, Texas, and died July 17, 1914. 
He was married to Edna Dilley, of Palestine, Texas, on 
Februarv 1, 1911. Their children were: 

Edna,'b. January 22, 1879. Died October 20, 1885. 

Russell, b. July 17, 1888 ; d. September 11, 1910. 

The father of these children, J. Richard Bow^man en- 
dowed a school in honor of his mother, Eliza, at Cien- 
fuegos, Cuba. 

George W. Bowman married (second) Mrs. Honaker, 
of Tampa, Fla. 

Henry Bowman married . Had three children. 



history of sweetwater valley 89 

Rev. Thomas Brown 

Was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, December 

27, 1800, and was the son of James Brown, who came to 
Blount County, Tenn., in 1803 or 1804. When a young 
man Thomas Browoi went first to Bradley County, Tenn., 
locating at a town called Columbiana, which place does 
not now exist. There he followed his trade as black- 
smith until he went to Kingston, Tenn. He then en- 
tered school to prepare himself for the ministry. On 
April 10, 1834, he married Jane N". Patton, who was the 
daughter of David and Elizabeth Patton, of Kingston, 
at which place Jane Patton was born on November 19, 
1817. 

Thomas Brown was ordained a minister of the Pres- 
byterian church, September 22, 1827. He took charge of 
the Presbyterian churches at Kingston and Philadelphia 
in November, 1828, and remained with them until 1866, 
'when, on account of ill health, he gave up the work. He 
preached at Sweetwater Presbyterian Church, as first 
pastor, in 1859-60. He died at his home near Philadel- 
phia, April 21, 1872, and his wife died there on January 

28, 1897. They are both buried at the Philadelphia 
cemetery. 

The Rev. Thomas Brown took both the theological and 
literary courses at Maryville College, Maryville, Tenn. 
The children of Thomas and Elizabeth Brov^m were : 

1. Ignatius Cvprian, b. March 10, 1835; d. March 21, 
1900. 

2. Marv, b. March 30, 1836 ; d. September 29, 1837. 

3. Rowena, b. Julv 2, 1838; d. December 9, 1908. (See 
T. J. Moore.) 

4. William Leonidas, b. Januarv 9, 1840. 

5. Nancy, b. 1843. 

6. David J., b. March 26, 1844. 

7. Marv E., b. January 19, 1846; d. August 2, 1888. 

8. Susannah, b. January 13, 1847 ; d. April 23, 1849. 

9. H. Virginia. 

10. Laura A. 

1. Ignatius Cyprian Brown married Ruth Hamlet, of 
Indiana. He died at Columbus Junction, Ind. They 
had four children: 



90 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

(1) Jennie, m. Hall. Live at Columbus Junction, Ind. 

(2) W. T., is a druggist at that place. 

(3) Harry L., unmarried. A pliarmacist at Denver, 
Col. 

(4) Hadley, unmarried. A physician at Okatee, Okla. 
4. William Leonidas, second son of Thomas and Jane 

Patton Brown, was born at Kingston, Tenn., and came 
with his father to Monroe County in 1847. He w^as mar- 
ried to Sydney G. Hood, daughter of Parker and Amanda 
Torbett Hood, on Februarv 9, 1875. She was born Au- 
gust 17, 1847, and died October 18, 1894. 

Hon. W. L. Brown is a farmer and lives on his farm, 
and in the house built by his father in 1848, one mile 
south of Philadelphia, on the Fork Creek road. He was 
a member of the Forty-seventh General Asseinbly of 
Tennessee, upper house, 1891-92. He was elected jus- 
tice of the peace for the Fourth District of Monroe 
Countv in 1875, and has served continuouslv until this 
time, 1916. The children of W. L. and "Sydney H. 
Brown : 

1. Clara Maude, d. 

2. Cecil, m. Buena V. West. He is teacher in high 
school at Sweetwater, Tenn. 

3. Thomas G., m. Nettie Walker in August, 1907, in 
Jefferson County. He is superintendent of city schools 
at Calumnet, Mich. 

4. John P., b. 1883 ; m. Hazel Jones, Morristown, Tenn. 
He is a civil engineer. 

5. Huldah. 

6. Jane Sydney. 

7. Lois Amanda, b. January 31, 1893; d. September 
24, 1901. 

Major John Calloway^. 

The history given below was mostly obtained from 
Mrs. Sarah WiUson, widow of James Willson, deceased, 
of Niota, Tenn. 

Major John Calloway came from the upper Yadkin 
valley, Wilkes County, N. C, where Eli and Presley 
Cleveland and William B. Lenoir came from. They 
were all descendants of King's Mountain heroes. From 
the purchases of land made by them in this country it is 
almost certain that they were in fairly comfortable cir- 



HISTORY OP SWEETWATER VALLEY 91 

cumstances when they moved from North Carolina to 
Tennessee. 

John Calloway moved to Knox County and settled on 
Beaver Creek. He was sheriff of that county at one time. 

"When the Hiwassee District was surveyed and opened 
to purchase in 1820, the Clevelands and the Calloways 
bought numerous tracts. John Calloway w^as the pur- 
chaser of the northeast c[uarter of section 18, township 
1, range 2, east. Date of sale w^as November 29, 1820. 

Eli Cleveland and John Calloway, together, purchased 
entry number 365, 160 acres, the southwest quarter sec- 
tion 17, township 1, range 2, east. Eli Cleveland bought 
the southwest quarter of section 18, township 1, range 2, 
east. The records of the Baptist church, then consti- 
tuted on Fork Creek in 1820, afterwards the Baptist 
church on Sw^eetwater Creek, near the old Eli Cleveland 
place, show that he was connected with that church in 
1821. As to John Calloway, the church books of that 
church show that he joined the church by letter, in May, 
1827. It is ])robable that he did not move to the valley 
until about that time. He built the first brick house that 
was built in the valley, if not in the county. Mrs. Will- 
son thinks that it antedated the old Meigs residence, 
which stood west of the old Reagan residence, at Reagan 
Station. The brick house built by Calloway stood at or 
near the site of the Berry residence, near the Cleveland 
Baptist Church, two miles southwest of Philadelphia. 

John Calloway was prominent in church affairs. His 
name was often mentioned with Snead, Fine and Cleve- 
land, as a delegate to Baptist associations and conven- 
tions. The members of the Calloway family have rec- 
ords in the Baptist church in Sweetwater as follows : 

John Calloway, received by letter the fourth Saturday 
in May, 1827. 

Sarah Calloway, received by experience fourth Satur- 
day in January, 1830. 

Joseph Calloway, received by experience fourth Sat- 
urday in July, 1832. 

Joseph, liberated for exhortation fourth Saturday in 
April, 1833. 

Joseph, ordained a minister fourth Saturday in No- 
vember, 1838. 



92 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VAL,LEY 

Joseph, granted letter of dismission fourth Saturday 
in January, 1839. 

Nancy Calloway (Webb), received by experience and 
baptism July, 1832. 

Judy Ann Calloway, received by experience and bap- 
tism July, 1839. 

James Callo"way, received by experience and baptism 
fourth Saturday in July, 1839. 

E. Malinda Calloway, received by experience and bap- 
tism fourth Saturday in July, 1839. 

Hugh L. W. Calloway, received by experience and bap- 
tism fourth Saturday in August, 1842. 

Judy Ann Calloway (Moffatt), dismissed by letter, 
fourth Saturday in August, 1842. 

On the fourth Saturday in February, 1844, there were 
granted letters of dismission to Louisa Hatchett and 
also to John Calloway and family, viz : Sarah (his wife), 
Nancy Webb, Hugh L. W., Polly (Mary) McReynolds, 
Malinda Walker and James H. Calloway, also to colored 
persons (his slaves), Abraham, Pinckney, Patsy and 
Chloe. 

John Calloway sold out to Eli Cleveland and moved 
to Harrisonville, Cass County, Mo., in 1842, so Mrs. 
Willson says. The family got their letters of dismission 
from the church, as above recited, in 1844, but as not 
infrequentl}^ happens, they sent back after them. 

Thomas H. Calloway, whose father was a brother of 
John C, used to live with his uncle until he, John C, 
went to Missouri. Thos. C. became a very wealthy man 
and was afterwards president of the East Tennessee and 
Georgia Railroad. 

John Calloway married Sarah Hardin, of South Car- 
olina. Their children were: 

One. Marshall, died on Sweetwater Creek. 

Two. William Saunders. 

Three. Hugh L. W. 

Four. Joseph, d. near Springfield, Mo., in 1869. 

Five. James, d. in Cass County, Mo. 

Six. Nancy, lived and died in 1872, in Cass County, 
Mo. Married Webb. 

Seven. Judy Ann, d. in Cass County, Mo. ; m. Moffatt. 

Eiglit. Mary, d. in Harrisonville, Mo., August 8, 1854; 
m. McReynolds. 



HISTOKY OP SWEETWATER VALLEY 93 

Nine. Rebacca, d. in Harrisonville, Mo., in 1872; m. 
Reagan. 

Ten. Malinda, d. in Lee's Summit, Mo., in 1873; m. 
Walker. 

One. Marshall Calloway was a phj^sician. He mar- 
ried Grace Meigs, a sister of Return J. Meigs. He died 
at the Calloway place, as above stated. They had two 
children : Farrar, who married Julia Castella, and Mar- 
shall, who married Caroline Kirby. They lived in Brad- 
ley County. 

Two. William Saunders Calloway married Sarah 
Hurst, daughter of Elijah, and sister of John and Russell 
Hurst, of McMinn County. He was clerk of the county 
court of Monroe County 1832-36. He moved to McMinn 
County, near Riceville, Tenn., and resided there until 
his death. He was buried in the family cemetery on his 
farm. They were the parents of eleven children: 

1. Marshall; 2. John; 3. William; 4. Thomas; 5. El- 
vira ; 6. Sarah ; 7. Malinda ; 8. Emma ; 9. Laura ; 10. Cor- 
nelia ; 11. Addie. Emma and Laura were twins. 

1. Marshall was killed in the Civil War; m. Sarah 
Mayo, leaving no children. 

2. John, moved to and died at Mountain Home, Idaho ; 
m. Laura Durham, Sparta, Ga. 

3. William, m. Ida, daughter of Rev. N. Goforth. Moved 
to Mountain Home, Idaho. 

4. Thomas, d. unmarried. 

5. Elvira, m. Geo. Hill (October 16, 1871, R. Snead, 
M. G.), who was reared at the Schultz place, near Niota. 
His mother was Elizabeth Lane, daughter of Isaac Lane. 
They went to an Indian reservation in Idaho. 

6. Sallie, m. Dr. Frank Durham, of Sparta, Ga. She 
died at old Governor McComb's summer residence, near 
Milledgeville, Ga. She left two sons : Calloway and Dr. 
Frank Durham, both of Sparta, Ga. 

7. Malinda, m. Thomas Epperson, who lives near Rice- 
ville, Tenn. Their children are: Calloway, m. j 

Charles, m. ; Sallie, m. Wiseman, of Los Angeles, 

Cal. 

8. Emma, m. Dennis R. Isbell, who lived near Mt. Har- 
mony, on December 28, 1871. J. B. Kimbrough, M. G. 



94 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Their children were: John, m. Josephine Walker in 
Utah, and Earnest, who is a bachelor and lives at the old 
home in Monroe County. 

9. Laura, m. Henry H. Matlock on November 14, 1870. 
J. B. Kimbrough, M. Gr. He is a farmer and lives nine 
miles w^est of Athens, Tenn. Their children are Mary, 
m. Henry Tittsworth, of Knoxville, Tenn., who is a con- 
ductor in the employ of the Southern Railway; they 
have four children: two sons and two daughters. The 
second child of H. H. and Laura Matlock, Sarah, m. John 
Thornburgh, a lawyer of Knoxville, Tenn. They have 
two children, a son and daughter. 

10. Cornelia Calloway married W. P. Willson near 
Mt. Harmony. He died at Athens, Tenn., and was buried 
at the cemetery at Sweetwater, Tenn. They had four 
sons, two of whom, Frank and Robert are dead. Their 
son, William, married Katie Brown, of Murfreesboro, 
Tenn. She died. He lives at the old Doc Lane place 
between Niota and Reagans. Elbert, son of Cornelia and 
W. P. Willson, married Lucy Smith, of Oak Grove, Knox 
County. They live at Athens, Tenn. 

11. Addie, youngest child of William Saunders and 
Sarah Hurst Calloway, married Robert Cooke, son of Dr. 
Cooke, of Madisonville, Tenn. Thiey live in Los Angeles, 
Cal. They have two children : Henry, who married a 
daughter of Lawrence Henderson, three miles east of 
Madisonville, Tenn. They live in Los Angeles, Cal. 

Ella, second child of Robert Cooke, married 

Rumsturm in Idaho. 

Three. Joseph Calloway married Mary Willson, of 
Meigs County (no relative, as I understand, of the 
James Willson, who married Sarah McReynolds). The 
church history of Jos. Calloway has already been given. 
His children were: Mary, who married a Cunningham, 
and James who married Minerva, a sister of the late 
Hon. S. J. Martin. There were two other children but 
I have not been able to get their names or history. 

Four. Hugh Lawson White Calloway married Car- 
oline, daughter of Sam'l McReynolds, brother of David 
McReynolds, grandfather of Mrs. James Willson. They 
moved to Saline County, Mo., in the settling of that state. 
There were three children, two daughters and one son: 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 95 

Sarah married in California; Potter Calloway, the son, 
lives in California. 

Five. Nancy. Married George Webb some time 
previous to July, 1832, as she joined the Baptist church 
on Sweetwater, at that time, as Nancy Webb. Geo. 
Webb built the Second Presbyterian Church in Knox- 
ville, at the corner of Prince Street and Clinch Avenue. 
He was buried in the churchyard there, but his remains 
w^ere removed, with others, when that property was sold, 
and the new church built at the corner of Church Avenue 
and Locust Street. Mrs. Webb died in 1872, her husband 
many years previous. They had three children : 

1. John. Never married. 

2. Asenath, m. Thos. Hodge. No children. 

3. Sarah, m. Dr. Logan McRejaiolds, son of Joseph 
McRe^aiolds, Saline County, Mo., another brother of 
David McReynolds. 

Six. Judy Ann Calloway, m. Thos. D. Moffatt, October 
18, 1838, R. Snead, M. G. He was a merchant in Phila- 
delphia, until about 1842, when he moved to Cass County, 
Mo. T, D. and J. A. MotTatt were the parents of three 
children : Sarah, m. James Woolridge, a lawyer at Har- 
risonville. Mo. They left a son and daughter who both 
died without heirs. 

Seven. Mary Calloway, m. Coleman McReynolds, a 
young ph3^sician of Meigs County, Tenn. They moved to 
Harrisonville, Mo., in 1842. He died in 1852 and she 
August 8, 1855. Thev were the parents of five children : 

i. Sarah, b. February 24, 1838. 

2. John C, b. 1840; d. 1865. 

3. David M., b. Februarv 2, 1845. 

4. Hugh, b. July 2, 1848; d. September 21, 1893. 

5. Minta, b. July 2, 1848; d. March, 1871. Hugh and 
Minta twins. 

1. Sarah, came back to Tennessee, to the Sweetwater 
Valley home of elder Robert Snead, on a visit to her 
aunt, Samantha McRepiolds, who had married Mr. 
Snead September 17, 1852. Mrs. Snead was the daughter 
of Tely Jane and David McRe>Tiolds, of Selma, Ala. On 
the 12th of April, 1857, Sarah McR., was married to 
James Willson, of Mouse Creek (Niota), Tenn., and at 
once moved to that place. He was born in Sevier 
County, the son of James and Sarah Willson. He was a 



96 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

successful business man and farmer. He died at his 
residence, near Niota, August 2, 1869. Their children 
were : 

1. Hugh, b. June 30, 1858. 

2. Robert S., b. May 6, 1860; d. October 10, 1907. 

3. Ellie, b. May 17, 1862; d. June 17, 1887. 

4. Mintie, b. July 5, 1864; d. July 23, 1887. 

5. Sallie, b. May 10, 1866 ; d. August, 1869. 

6. James C, b. July 7, 1869; d. September 17, 1887. 

1. Hugh Willson married Carrie, daughter of Au- 
gustus P. and Dorcas Henderson Gaines, of Fork Creek 
Valley, on January 26, 1893. She was tjorn October 2, 
1862. (A. P. Gaines and Dorcas Henderson were mar- 
ried July 19, 1856. ) Hugh Willson is a farmer and owns 
the place formerly owned by Russell Hurst, 1 and 1-4 
miles southwest of Niota. He was president of the East 
Tennessee Farmers Convention in 1915. The children of 
Hugh and Carrie W. are: James Gaines, Dorcas Hen- 
derson, Mintie McReynolds and Sadie Gaines. 

2. Robert Snead Willson married Lillian Boyd, of 
Sweetwater, November 18, 1891. She died September, 
1907. He was a farmer and lived 1-4 mile from Niota. 
Their children were : Sarah Louise, Mary Lillian, Ellie, 
Mintie, Sallie and James C. 

2. John C, son of Coleman McReynolds, was a soldier 
in the Confederate army, in Captain Forrest company 
of Colonel Bradford's regiment of Tennessee volunteers. 
He died at Abingdon, Va., in March, 1867. 

3. David M. McReynolds married Laura Rice, of 
Athens, Tenn. He studied theology at Princeton, N. J., 
and was afterwards ordained a minister at Mt. Har- 
mony, Monroe County. He was pastor of the First Bap- 
tist Church in Sweetwater in 1883-1889. He then moved 
to Chattanooga, and was pastor of the Central Baptist 
Church. He was then called to the Boise, Idaho, Baptist 
church where he was pastor for several years. They 

-had no children. 

4. Hugh McRcATiolds married Martha Rice, daughter 
of Wm. Rice, and sister of Laura, David McReynold's 
wife. He studied medicine and obtained his diploma at 
Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa. He began 
the practice of medicine at Mouse Creek, but afterwards 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 97 

moved to Chattanooga, where both he and his wife died. 
They had no children. 

Nine. Rebecca, fourth daughter of John and Sarah 
Calloway, was married to Jesse Ragon. They moved to 
Cass County, Mo., and they both died there, he in 1873, 
and she in 1871. They had four children: Mary, Ma- 
lincla, Nannie and Hugh. 

Ten. Malinda, fifth daughter of Jno. and S. H. Callo- 
way, married Jno. F. Walker of Fork Creek. She joined 
the Baptist church at Sweetwater, on the fourth Satur- 
day in July, 1839, as E. Malinda Calloway, showing that 
she was not then married. She was granted a letter of 
dismission as Malinda Walker on the fourth Saturday 
in February, 1844. They moved to Cass County, Mo., 
where she died, leaving three children. 

The Cleveland Family. 

The Cleveland family have to their credit many il- 
lustrious names both in England and the United States. 
The most celebrated of these on this side of the water 
was Grover Cleveland, thrice a candidate for and twice 
elected president of the United States. 

James Butler Cleveland, of Oneonta, N. Y., published 
a book in three parts in 1881 about the Cleveland fam- 
ily. Wft have had access to Part I and from this we 
glean the following information: From the year 1200 
A. D. up to the present the family have spelled the name 
in a variety of waj^s, sometimes the same individual in 
the family spelling his name at different times in his 
life in more than one way. It is found spelled ''Cliff- 
land, Clyveland, Cliveland, Clieveland, Cleaveland and 
Cleveland ; the last way was the one adopted by the 
members of the family who came to this state. There 
used also to be a "de" before the name but that was 
dropped when they emigrated to this country as being 
undemocratic. Sir Guy de Cleveland was knighted at 

the siege of Boulogne in by King and 

was therefore entitled to place "de" before the name 
and to have a coat of arms, a crest and a motto. (For 
description of crest and coat of arms see J. B. C.'s book 
about the Clevelands.) They seem to have had rather 
more than their share of mottoes, claiming two as belong- 



98 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

ing to them: "Pro deo et patrio," translated, "for God 
and country" sliowing them to be both a religious and 
a patriotic family; and another motto "semel et sem- 
per," "once and always," meaning, "once a (friend) al- 
ways a (friend) " or the opposite. Both mottoes, I think, 
have been somewhat characteristic of the family. 

For given names the Clevelands used Bible names of 
abstract qualities such as Faith, Hope, Perseverance, 
Justice, Mercy — answer to Pra^^er, Abigail, Sarah, Eph- 
raim, Abraham, Benjamin, Jacob, and by no means 
were Joseph and his Gypsy wife, Asenath, forgotten. 
However I have not found in my reading about them 
that any of them were named either Judas or Esau; 
these they avoided. 

The Butler Cleveland book deals mostly with that 
part of the Cleveland family descended from Moses 
Cleveland, who came to the colonies (Massachusetts) in 
1635. His numerous descendants' are dispersed over 
various states of our union. They have had many towns 
and counties named for them; probably had much to do 
with naming them themselves. The most noted of these 
for commercial prosperity, its Euclid Avenue and lo- 
cation and the most notorious as having been the 
home of Mark Hanna, Rockefeller and Tom Johnson is 
Cleveland, Ohio, on the Lakes. It is the largest city 
in the world named for a citizen of the United States. 

The father of Benjamin and Robert Cleveland (the 
latter part of their lives citizens of Wilkes County, 
N. C), settled probably early in 1700 in Orange County, 
Va. There on Bull Run Creek Robert was born. In 
1736 he married Aley Mathis of Kentucky. This is a 
verj^ common name among the Clevelands and their de- 
scendants. Robt. C. was twnce married and was the 
father of 15 or 16 children. Jeremiah, one of the sons, 
was the grandfather of the Marietta, Ga., Clevelands. 

Wheeler in History of North Carolina (page 4:62), has 
this to say of Benjamin Cleveland: "Colonel Benjamin 
Cleaveland, tlie hero of King's Mountain, and after 
whom Cleaveland County is called, lived and died in 
Wilkes County." (Cleaveland County was formed in 
1841 out of Rutherford and Lincoln counties.) "He was 
a brave and meritorious officer. A serious impediment 
in his speech prevented his entering political life." 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VAULiEY 99 

(However he w^as senator to the General Assembly from 
Wilkes County, N. C, in 1779.) "In 1875 he was ap- 
pointed an ensign in the 2nd Regiment of troops and 
served at King's Mountain and at the Battle of Guilford 
Courthouse. He was also the hero of a hundred fights 
(rith the tories. He was the surveyor of Wilkes and 
lived at the place where Little Hickerson now (1850) re- 
sides. Some incidents of his life, dangers and daring 
conduct are recorded under Watauga County, their 
scene of action." 

Captain Robt. Cleaveland was little less distinguished 
than his brother Benjamin. He was with his brother 
Benjamin in the majority of the campaigns mentioned. 

Presley and Eli Cleveland were sons of Robert. In 
giving a sketch of Eli C. we can not do better than to 
quote an obituary of him written by Elder Robert Snead. 

In that, though Mr. Snead did not mention it, he made 
a deed of gift in perpetuity to the parcel of land on which 
the Baptist church on Sweetwater is situated, and the 
gift of a cemetery lot for a public burial, or more correct- 
ly speaking, a neighborhood burial place. But for our 
present purpose it does not matter, for in giving a his- 
tory of the Baptist on Sweetwater a copy of the deed 
and will as far as it pertained to those lots, are given 
in this book. 

Elder Eli Cleveland. 
An obituary written by Elder Robert Snead. 

Eli Cleveland was born in Wilkes County, N. C, on 
October 1, 1781. He was united in marriage with Polly 
Ragon the 28th of December, 1803. He w^as baptized 
the third Sabbath in December, 1813, and united with 
Baptist church in Ashe County, N. C, having obtained 
a hope in Christ a short time previous. Soon afterward 
he commenced exhorting and preaching to sinners *'to 
flee the wrath to come." 

He moved with family to Knox County, Tenn., in 1817. 
He was ordained to the full work of the ministry in 1818 
by request of Beaver Ridge (now Brick Chapel) Church. 
He moved to Sweetwater Valley in 1821. He united with 
the church here (on Sweetwater) the fourth Saturday 
in January, 1822. He was chosen moderator soon after ; 



100 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

which office he was eminently qualified to fill and which 
he retained until his deatJi. This being a newly settled 
country he preached much and was instrumental in 
building up and establishing a number of churches. 

For many years he has been, at times, the subject of 
severe afflictions which kept him from traveling much; 
but he never neglected to meet with his own church and 
,fill his place in the house of Grod, when his health per- 
mitted. We, who were present the last time he met with 
us, will long remember the earnest, warm and faithful 
exhortation he gave. Having lived to a good old age he 
died on the 23rd of November, 1859, of disease of the 
heart. He retained his mind to the last and died trust- 
ing in Jesus only. His motto was "Born a sinner, but 
saved by Grace." (Note. This is the epitaph on his 
tombstone.) The writer of this was with Jiim the even- 
ing before and the morning of his death. He spoke of 
being fully conscious that the time of his departure was 
at hand. In his last conversation he said : "I shall not 
long be here ; I have given up ; I have no desire to stay 
here at all ; this world is nothing to me. I am perfectly 
resigned to go at any time it is the will of God to take 
me. I have great reason to be thankful for His good- 
ness towards me. My trust is altogether in Jesus, be- 
cause I could not trust in anything on earth or in my- 
self. I want you to pray for me that I may go easy, for 
God answers the prayers of His people. 

About thirty minutes after speaking thus he fell asleep 
in Jesus without a groan or a struggle. 

Presley Cleveland was born in Wilkes County, N. C, 
September 14, 1779. He died in Sweetwater Valley, May 
31, 1861. He was married to Elizabeth Johnson. She 
was born February 17, 1792, and died November 20, 
1854. These two brothers and their wives are buried in 
the (Cleveland) Baptist Cemetery. For history of Eli 
Cleveland see obituary by Elder Bobt. Snead. 

Eli Cleveland purchased the following tracts of land 
in the Hiwassee District from Matthew Nelson, treas- 
urer of East Tennessee : northwest quarter, section 19, 
township 2, range 3, west, on December 2, 1820; entry 
number 1323, northwest quarter, section 20, township 
1, range 2, east, on June 10, 1825; grant 684, September 
7, 1827 ; entry 5145, southeast quarter, section 13, town- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 101 

ship 1, range 2, east ; entry 5146, southwest quarter, sec- 
tion 18, township 1, range 2, east; granted 3212, dated 
February 13, 1838. He bought from John Calloway en- 
try 320, southeast quarter traction, township 2, range 
3, west. 

The children of Eli and Polly Cleveland were: 

One. Robert R. He was born September 15, 1808 ; d. 
April, 1868. He married Sydney G., daughter of Mat- 
thew Nelson, of Philadelphia, January 20, 1835. She 
was born July 15, 1811, and d. October 3, 1884. He was a 
wealthy farmer and merchant of Philadelphia, Tenn. 
Tbey had one daughter, Clemintina, who married Dr. 
Franklin King Berry. (See Berry.) 

Two. Matilda. She married John Chesnutt, son of 
Henry Chesnutt. They moved to Ooltewah, Tenn. Had 
no children. 

Three. Caroline. She married Joseph Walker, of 
Fork Creek Valley on March 1, 1838. They had no chil- 
dren. (See Walker.) 

i Four. Jesse. Married Miss Spriggs, of Bradley Coun- 
ty, Tenn., and lived on Candy's Creek. 

Five. Eli Matthew, b. 1827; m. Emeline, daughter of 
Jno. Pennington, September 28, 1843. d. 1871. They had 
eight children, six girls and two boys. They moved to 
Hamilton County, near Ooltewah, Tenn., where he died 
three or four years after the Civil War; aged about 58 
years. 

Six. Aley Mathis, b. May 7, 1813 ; d. May 30, 1855 ; m. 
J. D. Jones, whom see. 

Seven. Clarissa, b. September 6, 1815. Baptized 
March, 1833 ; d. March 11, 1880. She m. Jesse F. Jones 
(brother of J. D. Jones), whom see. 

Eight. David H., b. November 5, 1824; d. August 10, 
1900. He joined the Baptist church in August, 1842. 
He married first, his cousin, Elizabeth A. Johnson, 
daughter of Louis Johnson, July 11, 1844. R. Snead, 
M. G. She was b. January 5, 1827 ; d. December 31, 1882. 
She was a member of the Baptist church. They lived on 
his father's, Eli Cleveland's, place which Mr. Cleveland 
vowned at the time of his death. 

The children of this marriage were : 

1. Jesse F., b. July 11, 1845; d. October 27, 1846. 

2. Mary Katherine, b. January 4, 1847. 



102 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

3. Eli, b. December 11, 1848. 

4. Sydney, A. 

5. Louis J., b. February 17, 1853 ; d. October 4, 1853. 

6. Callie, b. August 17, 1854. 

7. Robert Mathis, b. November 9, 1856. 

8. Joseph Jones, b. November 20, 1858. 

9. Eliza, May 5, 1861 ; d. October 1, 1862. 

10. Aley, b. December 11, 1863. 

11. Viola Jessamine, b. December 15, 1865. 

12. Benjamin, b. December 4, 1867. 

D. H. Cleveland m. Malinda Sherman (second), 
and their children were: 

13. (1) John Sherman. 

14. (2) Malinda Neil. 

15. (3) Davy Grace. 

2. Mary K., married Seth McKinney, son of David P. 
Walker, January 3, 1862. He then lived at Boiling 
Springs in Fork Creek Valley. In 188- they moved to 
Sweetwater. Went to Sherman, Texas, in 1887. Mrs. 
Walker died there in April, 1906. In a communication 
March 14, 1916, Miss Faun Yearwood, of Knoxville, 
gives me as follows about the S. M. and Mary K. Walker 
family. 

They were the parents of twelve children: 

1. Jennie Anne. 

2. Alice Elizabeth. 

3. David Franklin (died in infancy). 

4. Eliza Caroline. 

5. Joseph (died in infancy). 

6. Zeb McKinney. 

7. Lena Ula. 

8. Katherine. 

9. Robert. 

10. Helen (died in infancy). 

11. Emmett. 

12. Eugene (died in infancy). 

1. Jennie A. Walker married Richard Jarnagin Year- 
wood, January 10, 1883. Now living in Knoxville, 
Tenn. 



niSTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 103 

Have three children : 

1. Maude, married John Staub Fouche, April 

6, 1904, and have one son, John S., Jr. Live 
in Chattanooga, Tenn. 

2. Faun, Knoxville, Tenn. 

3. Richard Horace, U. S. N. 

2. Alice Elizabeth Walker married John B. Montgomery, 

September 5, 1883. Now living in Knoxville, Tenn. 
Have one child: 

1. Helen Louise, married Walter B. McLean, 
May 25, 1904, and have one daughter, 
Louise. Live in Knoxville, Tenn. 

3. David Franklin, died in infancy. 

4. Eliza Caroline. 

5. Joseph, died in infancy. 

6. Zeb McKinney Walker, married and lives in Sherman, 

Texas. 

7. Lena Ula Walker married John Henry Hurst, at Bon- 

ham, Texas, February 24, 1888. Now live at Long- 
view, Texas. 

Have five children: 

1. Henry Eugene Hurst, unmarried, employed 

by Ford Motor Co., Dallas, Texas. 

2. John Russell, Longview Texas. 

3. Edith Isabella, married Collie Carr Moye, 

January 1, 1912, and have one daughter, 
Edith Earline. Live in Longview, Texas. 

4. Lewis, Beaumont, Texas. 

5. Julian Harrison, Longview, Texas. 

8. Katherine Walker, married George Blair. Now live 

in Sherman, Texas. 
Have two children: 

1. Jeff. 

2. Raymond. 

9. Robert Walker, married and lives in Sherman, Texas. 

10. Helen Walker, died in infancy. 

11. Emmett Walker, died in Philippine Islands, U, S. A., 

26 years. 

12. Eugene Walker, died in infancy. 

3. Eli, son of I). H. Cleveland, m. Susan Martin, dau. 
Polly Griffitts Martin on November 22, 1881. He is a 
farmer owning a large tract of land about half way be- 



104 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

tween Sweetwater and Philadelphia. He lives in the town 
of Sweetwater, where he is interested in the hardware 
business. The children of Eli and Susan Martin Cleve- 
land are: 

(1) Annie, b. September 4, 1882; m. Edgar Heiskell, 
whom see. 

(2) Hulah, b. June 7, 1884; m. Horace Browder, whom 
see. 

(3) Elizabeth, b. April 18, 1886; m. Myrtland Rollins. 
He is assistant city attorney of the city of St. Louis, 
Mo. 

(4) David Martin, b. October 13, 1888. He is in the 
hardware business at Sweetwater. 

(5) Martha Waren, b. 1890; m. Frank Dykeman Ruth. 
He is a manufacturer of wood veneer at Buchanan, Va. 

(6) Eunice Eli. 

(8) Susan Marguerite. 

4. Sydney A., fourth child of D. H. Cleveland, m. 
Benj. F. Hudson, son of Richard Hudson. He is. a 
farmer living in Fork Creek valley. Their children are : 
Eli, David, Jessie, d. ; Cleo. m. ; Pearl, m. Kimbrough, 
Ruby, m. ; Garnett m. ; Vanoy, m. Jessie Simpson. 

5. Callie, m. James A., son of W. E. Johnson and 
grandson of Louis Johnson, on March 4, 1875. He was 
born January 31, 1849; d. February 26, 1899. He was a 
farmer in Pond Creek valley and afterwards moved to 
Sweetwater. After his death his wife and family moved 
to Oaksdale, Wash., March 21, 1910. Their children are : 

(1) Sydnev, b. September 3, 1876. 

(2) David Cleveland, b. September 30, 1878. 

(3) Eliza A., b. June 13, 1880; d. May 13, 1908. 

(4) Maud, b. September 13, 1883; d. July 12, 1912. 

(5) William E., b. June 18, 1886 ; d. December 13, 1886. 

(6) Elizabeth, b. May 11, 1890. 

(7) James A., b. March 3, 1892. 

(8) Robert M., b. November 13, 1894; d. June 19, 1895. 
7. Robert Mathis, was born November 9, 1856. Came 

to the town of Sweetwater, first as a clerk and then in 
the mercantile business for himself. He married Mag- 
gie Carmichael, of McMinn County, on December 7, 1884. 
He was an alderman of Sweetwater for many years and 
was mayor of the town in 1890. He was a justice of the 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 105 

peace of the first civil district of Monroe for sixteen 
years. He moved to Chattanooga in 1902, where he en- 
gaged in the retail grocery business until his death. His 
widow resides at 110 Findlay Street, Chattanooga. Their 
children were : 

Frances, b. December 8, 1886 ; m. J. Rollins, newspaper 
man, June 11, 1908. 

Sammie, b. January 5, 1889. 

Alena, b. January, 1891; m. 0. L. Holt, a manufact- 
urer, Chattanooga, August 17, 1911. 

Robert Mathis, b. November 13, 1900. 

8. Joseph Jones, b. November 20, 1858; m. Sallie, 
daughter of Hon. W. H. Turley, of McMinn County, 
June 28, 1882. They lived in McMinn County., where his 
first wdf e died. He went to Hamilton, Texas," in Septem- 
ber, 1886. Tliere he married (second) Irene Perry on 
April 23, 1887. He is a school teacher. Their children 
are: 

(1) Geo. G., b. April 17, 1888 ; m. Fay Reid, Henrietta, 
Texas, April 13, 1913. Farmer. 

(2) Joe J., Jr., b. June 9, 1890. Assistant cashier 
Hamilton National Bank, Hamilton, Texas. 

(3) Charles C, b. August 18, 1894. Student Baylor 
Medical College, Dallas, Texas. 

10. Aley, m. William Jones, son of Joshua Jones, of 
South Carolina, Mav 27, 1881. Their children are: (1) 
Alex., m.; (2) Rhea; (3) Ophelia; (4) Svdnev; (5) 
Frank; (6) Ole; (7) Pearl; (8) 

11. Viola Jessamine, m. R. L. Carter July 1, 1886. 
He was born January, 1859. Children: 

(1) Matt, m. Nannie Martin, of Chattanooga, April 
27, 1914. He is a bank emplovee there. 

(2) Bess. 

(3) Clifford, in the produce business with his father 
at Sweetwater. 

(4) Bland L., m. Alan B. DeArmond October, 1915. Re- 
side at Athens, Tenn. 

(5) Robert L., Jr. 

(6) Gladys. 

(7) Fred. 

12. Benjamin, the twelfth child of D. H. and Elizabeth 
Johnson Cleveland, was born December 4, 1867. He 
went to Spokane, Wash., where he married. 



106 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

David H. Cleveland married (second) Malinda Neil, 
daughter of John Sherman, of Niota, Tenn. She w^as at 
that time the widow of Bart Forrest. Their children : 

(13) John Sherman, b. October 28, 1885; d. Septem- 
ber 26, 1891. 

(14) Malinda Neil, b. February 4, 1888; m. J. Gid. 
Johnson November 10, 1910. He is a farmer and is also 
engaged in the jewelrv business at Sweetwater. They 
have one child, J. Gid, Jr., b. Mav 17, 1913. 

(15) Davy Grace, b. August 29, 1890; m. G. W. Fallin, 
of Fort Worth, Texas, on December 23, 1913. 

Presley Cleveland 

"Was born in Wilkes Count}', N. C, September 16, 
1779; he w^as the son of Captain Robert Cleveland and 
the brother of Eli Cleveland. He died in Sweetwater 
Valley May 31, 1861. His wife was Elizabeth, the sister 
of Louis Johnson. She was born February 17, 1792, and 
died November 30, 1854. They were both memi)ers of the 
Baptist church on Sweetwater and were buried in the 
cemetery near that place. 

Presley Cleveland was a farmer and acquired lands as 
follows : 370 acres from the State, the northeast and 
northwest quarters of section 24, township 1, range 1, 
east, and 50 bought of Jno. Pennington, south side of 
southeast quarter sec. 13, town.ship 1, range 1, east. 

The children of Presley and Elizabeth Cleveland were : 

One. Robert, d. August, 1854. 

Two. Alev, b. October 14, 1816 ; d. November 3, 1824. 

Three. William, b. October 11, 1820; d. August 22, 
1835. 

Four. Eliza Ann, d. 1911. 

Five. Larkin, b. 1825. 

Six. Caroline, b. November 25, 1827; d. November 10, 
1896. 

Seven. Harvey H., b. March 18, 1830 ; d. September 25, 
1854. 

One. Robert, m. Elizabeth Snead, daughter of Robert 
Snead, on June 4, 1840. They moved to Bradley County, 
Tenn., where he died and was buried. His widow came 
back to Sweetwater Valley and lived for some years 
across the creek from the Robert Snead residence. She 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 107 

died July 27, 1875, and was buried at the old Sweetwater 
cemetery. She was a member of the Baptist church. 
The chiidreu of Robert and Elizabeth Cleveland were : 

1. William, b. April 9, 1843. He served in the Con- 
federate army during the Civil War; was a member of 
the Methodist Church, South. He was a progressive 
farmer and lived on the Athens road one and one-half 
miles south of Sweetwater. He died February 10, 1902, 
and was buried in old Sweetwater cemetery. He mar- 
ried Mary F., daughter of J. J. Browder, on June 24, 
1867. Their children were: 

(1) Addie V., b. March 6, 1868 ; m. Mark L. Harden, Au- 
gust 16, 1892 ; d. January 10, 1895. 

(2) William, b. August 25, 1879; m. Mvrtle Lavcock 
October 5, 1904 ; d. October 10, 1909. 

(3) Henry, b. March 8, 1882; m. Jennie Burk, of Sher- 
man, Tex., December 30, 1907. He is a farmer in Sweet- 
water Valley. 

(4) Ellis, b. November 5, 1886. Moved to Olustee, 
Okla., where he now (1916) lives. 

(5) Ora. 

(6) Julia. 

2. Presley, second son of Robert and Elizabeth Snead 
Cleveland, was born in Bradley County, Tenn., January 
28, 1845. He married Belle Bryant in' McMinn County 
July 4, 1867. She was the daughter of Ellis and the sis- 
ter of Louis Bryant. They moved to Gentry County, 
Mo., in 1877. He is a farmer. His address is Albany, 
Mo. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church. 
Their children were : 

(1) James H., b. in McMinn County, April 24, 1868. 

(2) William, b. November 11, 1871; d. Februarv 6, 
1901. 

(3) Mary E., b. October 15, 1874, in Monroe County, 
Tenn. 

(4) Allison B., b. February 16, 1868. 

(5) Annie, b. November 1, 1880. 

(6) Allie v., b. August 24, 1882. 

Four of these children live in Gentry County, Mo. 
(3) Mary E. lives in Clarkston, Wash. 

3. Mary E. aunt of above Mary E., sister of Wm. and 
Presley Cleveland married Horace F., son of Francis 
A. Patton, whom see. 



108 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

4. Robert, third son of B. and E. Cleveland was b. in 
1852. He m. Georgetta Martin nee Wallace and lives at 
Blue Spring, Tenn. 

Four. Eliza Ann m. William E. Johnson. He was a 
farmer and resided on Pond Creek just above old Os- 
borne (Dyche) farm. They were the parents of four 
children. 

Five. Larkin Cleveland, b. in 1825 ; m. Minerva Parker. 
They reared a large family. Seven of them went west. 
Of their history little is known. Nannie m. John Rausin 
and lives in Oregon. Alfred married and lives in Mis- 
souri; Cordie and Eliza are married; names of husbands 
and residences not known. 

Six. Caroline, third daughter of Presley and Elizabeth 
Johnson Cleveland, married Samuel Jesse Martin Oc- 
tober 24, 1859. He was the son of S. J. and Polly Ragon 
Martin. His father and mother both died when he and 
his younger brother, Charles B. were quite young. They 
were taken and reared by their kinsman, Elder Eli Cleve- 
land. When about 15 years of age Jesse went to Ham- 
ilton County, Tenn.. and lived four or five years with 
John Chesnutt, husband of Matilda Cleveland. He there 
learned the carpenter's trade and returned to Eli Cleve- 
land's. He was the first layman to be moderator of the 
Baptist church on Sweetwater, and also the first la>TQan 
to be moderator of the Sweetwater Baptist Association. 
He was a popular man with the people and was elected 
joint representative of Loudon and Monroe counties to 
the Thirty-eighth General Assembly of Tennessee, over 
H. A. Chambers, Democrat, in November, 1872. His 
children were: 

(1) Sallie, b. July 15, 1861 ; d. May 27, 1879 ; m. Pryor, 
son of Humphrey Schultz, of Niota, Tenn., February 16, 
1886. They had two children. 

(2) Carrie Belle, m. Geo. Cline, son of Geo. Cline, 
works with Knoxville Traction Co. 

(3) Samuel, b. October 22, 1862; m. Amanda Patton, 
of Cumberland County, Tenn., January 21, 1892. She 
was the daughter of John Patton who lives nine miles 
northeast of Crossville, Tenn. Samuel M. is a farmer 
and civil engineer. Their children are : Jesse, Charles, 

Luther, Scott, Lucille, Beatrice, Zirkle, , Mc- 

Clain and Winona. 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 109 

Charles B. Martin, younger brother of Samuel J. was 
educated for the ministry, mostly by Elder Eli Cleve- 
land, assisted partially by the Baptist church on Sweet- 
water Creek. When he was about 21 years old, in about 
1856, he went to Van Buren County, Mo. 

Seven. Harvey H., fourth son of Presley and Elizabeth 
Johnson Cleveland, married Mary Ann, daughter of 
John and Alpha Pennington, in March,1854. He died 
about six months afterwards, September 25, probably of 
cholera. 

The Cannons. 

John Cannon was born in Caswell County, N. C, on 
March 18, 1744, and died in Grassy Valley, Knox Coun- 
ty, Tenn., in October, 1906. He was the son of William 
Cannon who first lived in Cumberland County, Virginia, 
and then moved to Caswell County, N. C. The w^ife of 
John Cannon was Ann Whitlow, who was born in North 
Carolina on November 18, 1747. She died in Knox Coun- 
ty, Tenn., on July 1, 1830. John Cannon moved from 
North Carolina to Sevier County, Tenn., some time be- 
fore 1795, when he came to Knox County, Tenn. He had 
three sons, William, John and Robert, and one daughter, 
Cynthia. Cynthia married M. C. Rogers. She died at 
Huntsville, Texas, November 24, 1855. Robert Cannon 
was born September 30, 1781, in Sevier County. He died 
at his residence in Roane (now Loudon) county, between 
Loudon and Philadelphia, on August 21, 1854, Ann Gal- 
braith, wife of Robert Cannon, was born July 15, 1792, 
in Knox County. She died April 29, 1859. They are 
said to have eloped, when they married in 1812, and lo- 
cated in Roane County (now Loudon), on what is known 
as the old Matlock farm near Lenoir City, Tenn. Their 
children were : 

1. Evaline, b. August 5, 1813 ; d. of yellow fever Hunts- 
ville, Texas, about 1854. 

2. John G., b. 1815 ; d. December 21, 1827. 

■ 3. Louisa, b. April 16, 1819 ; d. at Philadelphia, Tenn., 
September 13, 1894. 

4. Elizabeth Martin, b. June 11, 1822; d. in Indiana. 
(See Moore.) 

5. William, b. November 10, 1824; d. Feb. 2, 1897. 

6. Charles, b. , 1826 ; d. June 26, 1888. 



110 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

7. Sydney Ann, b. April 19, 1830; d. July 21, 1854. 
(See J. W. Clark.) 

8. Martha Ellen, b. April 25, 1833. (See Solomon 
Bogart. ) 

Of the above Cannon children the first three, Evaline, 
John and Louisa were born at the Matlock place, near 
Lenoir City, and the others were born at the Cannon 
place near Philadelphia, Tenn. 

1. Evaline Cannon married Henderson Yoakum, the 
historian of Texas and a lawyer of Huntsville, Texas, in 
1832. Their children were : 

(1) Elizabeth, b. at Murfreesboro, Tenn., in 1832; m. 

Campbell, a lawyer at Huntsville, Texas. She 

died at Los Angeles, Cal., leaving one son, who resides 
at Los Angeles. 

(2) Martha, d. in infancy. 

(3) Mary, married 

(4) Annie, d. April, 1871, at Springfield, Texas. Un- 
married. 

(5) Robert, lives at San Marcos, Texas. 

(6) Houston, b. 1858; married; d. San Marcos, Tex., 
about 1912. 

(7) Henderson, d. in youth. 

3. Louisa, third child of Robert and Ann Cannon, mar- 
ried (first) Laurence, son of Mathew Nelson, in 1834. 
After his death she married (second) James Chesnut. 
He was born April 5, 1808. He di^d of cholera July 31, 
1854. She married (third) Joseph D. Jones, on Decem- 
ber 6, 1861. (See J. D. Jones.) 

5. William, fifth child of Robert and Ann Cannon, 
married Susan Bogart, daughter of Solomon and Ann 
Moore Bogart, on February 28, 1856. She was born at 
Athens, Tenn., October 21, 1836. Their children were : 

(1) Robert Newton, b. December 28, 1856; d. at Phila- 
delphia, Tenn., March 28, 1898. He was a grain broker 
and land owner at Paullina, Iowa, for a number of years 
before his death. 

(2) Frank, b. October 27, 1859; d. March 28, 1894. 

(3) Charles Columbus, b. January 28, 1862; m. Grace 
Jennings at Paullina, Iowa, on 18 — . Their chil- 
dren were : William, b. d. ; Susan, b. 

190 ; Margaret Bogart, b. October 4, 1902 ; Marv Matil- 
da, b. May 15, 1908, and d.— 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 111 

(4) Willie, b. January 10, 1865; d. October 8, 1867. 

(5) Annie Yoakum, b. May 21, 1868. (See W. F. 
Lenoir.) 

(6) Mary Louisa, b. June 18, 1871. She married 
Joseph M. Logan, son of the late Judge S. T. Logan, of 
Knoxville, Tenn., on July 22, 1897. Their children are : 
Maria Louise, born at the old Gannon place, Meadow- 
brook, near Philadelphia, on October 6, 1898, and Jose- 
phine, born at Knoxville, Tenn., March 9, 1908. 

(7) Arthur Bogart Cannon married Julia Clark 
Tliomas at Nashville, Tenn., on December 29, 1908. Their 
children were : Elizabeth, b. October 25, 1909 ; Sarah, b. 

August 12, 1912; d. 191 ; and Arthur Bogart, b. 

February 3, 1916. 

6. Charles, second son of Robert and Ann Galbraith 
Cannon was born at the old Caimon place near Philadel- 
phia. He was married (first) to Lodusky Caroline, 
daughter of J. D. and Aley Cleveland Jones, on Feb- 
ruary 11, 1852. They moved from Philadelphia to the 
Fine place near Sweetwater, in 1859. Their children 
were: 

(1) Mary Alice, b. January 20, 1854. She mar- 
ried Joseph H. Bean, of Knoxville, on November 26, 1890. 
He was born in Monroe County, September 15, 1853. 
He learned the printers trade in Ivnoxville ; he was edi- 
tor and proprietor of the Monroe Democrat, a weekly 
published in Sweetwater, from January, 1876 to Jan- 
uary, 1890; he was manager and proprietor of the Knox- 
ville Tribune, a daily paper published in Knoxville, from 
1890 to 1892. He is now^ a member of the firm of Bean, 
Warters and Company, printers, bookbinders and sta- 
tioners, at 706 Gay Street, Knoxville Tenn. The chil- 
dren of J. H. and Alice Bean are: Helen Lodusky, b. 
May 21, 1892 ; m. Geo. Rogers, teacher, of Charleston, 
S. C. ; thev reside at Charleston, S. C. ; Alice, b. Novem- 
ber 24, 1893. 

(2) William C, son of Charles Caroline Cannon, was 
born February 4, 1860. He married Annie Mildred, 

daughter of Eli S. Adkins, on , 1890. She was 

born April 26, 1866. They have one daughter, Louise, 
born July, 189 . William C. Cannon lives at Philadel- 
phia in the old home of his grandfather, J. D. Jones. 

Charles Cannon married (second) Helen Graham, of 



112 HISTOBY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Pond Creek Valley, on December 17, 1868. Tlieir chil- 
dren were : 

(1) Martha Bland, who married David Carter Young 
on December 14, 1897. He was born August 18, 1865, 
the son of the Rev. Jas. N. and Sarah Carter Young. He 
attended school at Roane and Sweetwater colleges and 
studied law while teaching school. He w^as a law part- 
ner of his brother. Colonel Sam Epps Young, at Sweet- 
water, from 1888 to 1911. He is at present practising 
law at Sweetwater. He is also a farmer, real estate 
owner and dairyman. He is a member and elder of the 
Presbyterian church and has been Sunday-school sup- 
erintendent. Their children are : David Graham, b. Au- 
gust 27, 1900; Helen Graham, b. May 6, 1904; Bland Eliz- 
abeth, b. December 10, 1906, and Sarah Louise, b. July 
22, 1910. 

(2) Sue Graham, second daughter of Chas. and Helen 
Cannon, married S. J. Pickel. (See PickeL) 

(3) Louise Caroline, third daughter of Chas. and 
Helen Cannon, married Everett Grace, son of the Rev. 
W. C. Grace, former pastor of the Baptist church at 
Sweetwater, He was born September 9, 1873. He is a 
broker at Birmingham, Ala. 

(4) Ann Elizabeth, fourth daughter of Chas. and 
Helen Cannon, married Jno. F. Hargrove, of Fork Creek 
valley. He is a merchant at Robbins, Tenn. 

(5) Ida Clark, youngest daughter of Chas. and Helen 
Cannon, married A. J. Binzel, trainmaster of the L. & N. 
Railroad at Knoxville, Tenn. Tlieir children are Cath- 
erine and Alvin John. 

David Burton Childress 

Was born in Sullivan County, Tenn., April 14, 1831, 
the son of Finley Childress. His mother was Betsey 
Perry, a direct descendant of Commodore 0. H. Perry. 
David Burton Childress came to Athens, Tenn., in 1857, 
where he clerked there for A. McKeldin. He married 
Miss Mary Jones on December 20, 1860. She was an 
older sister of Mrs. James M. Heiskell. She was born 
in Wilmington, N. C, May 11, 1841. They came to 
Sweetwater in 1865. He engaged in the general mer- 
cantile business with W. B. McKeldin as partner, for a 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 113 

year or two, when the partnership was dissolved, Mr. 
McKeldin returning to his former home at Athens. Mr. 
Childress remained in business until a short time before 
his death which occurred November 21, 1887. Some of 
the clerks for D. B. Childress were Hugh M. McKeldin, 
Sam Scott, R. E. Magill, Millard Hudson and J. H. 
Dicke}", all successful business men afterward. For 
history of R. E. Magill see ''Magill Family Record, " 
page 103, by Robert Magill, Publisher, Richmond, Va. 
History of J. H. Dickey see Goddard, this book. 

He was interred in the old Sweetwater cemetery. He 
first lived in the house now owned by S. H. Sharp. On 
April 5, 1873, he bought 15 1-2 acres, now the j^roperty of 
Mrs. J. R. Love, on the Athens road, and built and moved 
there. He was both mayor and an alderman of Sweet- 
water a number of times. The children of Mary and 
D. B. Childress were: 

1. Samuella, b, June 14, 1862. She married James I. 
Carter on December 27, 1881. He was born January 11, 
1858, the son of John G. Carter, of Charleston, Tenn. 
He was in business with J. H. Patton for several years, 
then a merchant in Sweetwater in partnership with his 
brother, John Carter, until about 1884, when he went to 
Chicago, where he was a member of the Board of Trade. 
He is now a capitalist in Chattanooga, with a city resi- 
dence on Bluff View and a summer residence near the 
incline on Lookout Mountain. 

The children of J. I. and Samuella Carter are : 

(1) John Garnett, b. February 9, 1883. He m. Frieda 
Utermoehlen, a musical composer. 

(2) Mary Lynn, b. April 7, 1885. 

(3) Paul Burton, b. February 10, 1888. He is in busi- 
ness with his father. 

(4) Lucille, b. August 30, 1891; m. James Glasscock, 
now with Proctor & Gamble, at Cleveland, 0. 

(5) Doris Inman, b. March 3, 1900. 

2. Laura Edna, second daughter of D. B. and Mary 
Childress, b. January 18, 1868. She was married Oc- 
tober 12, 1887 to L. P. Thatcher, wholesale grocer, of 
Chattanooga. He died in 1906. Their children were : 

(1) Burton Craighead, b. 1888. 

(2) Samuel Eugene. 

(3) Hugh Lynn. 



114 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

(4) Elizabeth. 

(5) Louis P. 

(7) and (8) Wendell and Laurette, twins. 

(9) Kenneth. 

(10) Doug-las, about 10 years old. These are all liv- 
ing; the sixth child, Justis is dead. 

3. Hugh Lynn, b. January 28, 1870; d. February 4, 
1898. He was an expert telegrapher and fine business 
man. When he was 27 years of age he was superintend- 
ent of the southern division of the Postal Telegraph 
Company, the youngest in the service. 

4. Berta, b. September 23, 1872. She m. David Ran- 
kin, of Chattanooga, June 23, 1896. She d. October 2, 
1897. 

5. Nellie Elizabeth, b. August 12, 1875 ; m. I. N. Steely, 
a lawyer of Williamsburg, Ky., on May 21, 1908. Chil- 
dren, three: (1) Hugh Childress; (2) Joe Francis; (3) 
Oarnett Carter. 

6. James Finley (John), b. May 22, 1878; m. Lyda 
Boykin at Chattanooga, on June 17, 1903. One child, 
Margaret Evelyn. He is a druggist in Sweetwater. 

^ 7. Annie EHen, youngest child of D, B. and Mary 
'Childress, b. April 2, 1884, m. to Samuel E. Johnson, at 
Sweetwater on December 27, 1905. Four children: (1) 
Nellie Elizabeth; (2) Samuel G. ; (3) L^mn Cannon and 
Mary Childress. 

James Cooper. 

Lived on Mrs. Mira A. Reagan's place, one-half mile 
south of I. T. Lenoir's residence, for probably as much 
as twenty years, from about 1840 to some time in the 
early sixties. My information as to the family is some- 
what meager. What is given about them merely is as I 
remember it. James Cooper, I think, was twice mar- 
ried. Name of first wife unknown to me. The children 
of the first wife that I remember were: Washington, 
Patsy, Jane, David and James. He married, second. 
Miss West. Their children were: Cannon, Wesley. 

Levi, Nick and Joseph and two daughters, and 

, Washington joined the Confederate army, 1 

think Rowan's company, and was killed, soon after the 
commencement of the war, in the Cumberland moun- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 115 

tains. Patsy married Matthew McGuire on December 
21, 1858. Levi married Ellen Hayes December 31, 1878. 
Washington, the oldest child of the first marriage was 
born about 1838-9. Cannon, the oldest child of the sec- 
ond marriage was probably born about 1850. Joseph 
Cooper is a conductor on the street railway at Knoxville. 

Abram Whitenack Cozart 

'Was born near Harrodsburg, Kv., on Februarv 11, 
1822, and died at Columbus, Ga., on February 20,* 1889. 
He was buried at Philadelphia, Tenn., with other mem- 
bers of his famil}'. He was first married to Julia A. 
Cakhvell in Monroe County, Ga., in about 1847. Their 
children were : 

1. Joseph H,, b. about 1848 in Macon, Ga. He mar- 
ried February 13, 1870, Addie, daughter of George Mont- 
gomery Cuson, near Philadelphia. He died near Wau- 
komis, Okla., leaving several children, who reside there. 

2. Mattie, who married (first) the Rev. Joseph Mc- 
Ghee. They had one son, Joseph L. McGhee, Pli. D. 
(Johns Hopkins University), w^ho is now professor of 
chemistry in the Southwestern University at George- 
town, Texas. She m. (second) B. E. Tallent. 

3. Jacob Abner, m. Belle Suavely of Virginia. They 
live at Bridgeport, Sask., Canada. 

4. David, died near Philadelphia, in early manhood. 
He was a medical student. Tlie children of A. W. and 
Julia A. Cozart were, I think, all born in Georgia. 

Julie A. Cozart died August 16, 1854, near Philadel- 
phia, Tenn., to which place A. W. Cozart had moved a 
short time previous. After her death he married her 
sister, Martha G. Caldwell, who was born September 28, 
1827. She died in Georgia January 2, 1899, and was 
buried at Philadelphia. Their children, who were born 
at the old home one mile east of Philadelphia, were : 

(1) Samuel, who married Mary Wilson. Died at Col- 
orado Springs, Col. 

(2) Hugh Walker, unmarried and lives at Pocatello, 
Idaho. 

(3) Hattie, m. Joseph Gates, Manatee, Fla. 

(4) John, m. Addie Caldwell, of Knoxville. Resides 
at Knoxville, Tenn. 



116 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

(5) Linneaus, died at Atlanta, Ga., in early manhood. 
Buried in Philadelphia. 

(6) Abram Whitenack, b. June 14, 1870; m. Susan, 
daughter of Judge Brown, of Columbus, Ga. He lives 
at Columbus, Ga., where he practices law, and has served 
as judge of one of the courts. 

History says there was once a man whose name was 
Andrew Smith and he took as a wife Miss Ellen Seater. 
He settled or temporarily resided in Orkney Isles; for 
there on the Mainland, the largest of the group, a son of 
his and hers first saw the light of day or possibly more 
correctly the fogs of the north sea. This son was born 
on the 20th of May, 1797, at Kirkwall. They searched 
diligently for a name for him and finally settled on John ; 
not Ian, but just plain John without any frills to it. 
And why not John? There were John the Baptist, and 
John Knox, the Presbyterian, John the beloved disciple, 
and King John of Magna Charta fame and a host of 
other distinguished Johns. Anyhow if there was any- 
thing wrong with his being saddled with the name of 
John Smith and being born in the Orkneys John was 
not to blame for it; he couldn't help it. He was not 
obliged to stay there however, and when he grew to man- 
hood he moved about as far away from there as he could. 

The Orkneys are among the bleakest lands in the hab- 
itable parts of the globe. A frith separates them from 
the northernmost point of Scotia or the ''land's end" or 
the ''ultima thule" of the Romans; not a great ways 
north of them are the Shetland Isles, and like these 
islands they raise barley, ponies and rough and hardy 
breed of cattle. In the Orkneys there are nine months 
of winter and three months of rather cool weather; 
though in those three months of so-called summer the 
sun shines most of the time. The hills and cliffs around 
Kirkwall are about the same elevation above sea level 
as the depot at Sweetwater. Hoy, west of Mainland 
Isle, is a horneblende, Gnessoid islet rising sheer out 
of the sea to a height of more than 1,500 feet. On this 
uninhabitable, intractable rock the intense cold pro- 
duces no impression and the storm king and the mad 
waves of the north sea beat in vain. In summer from 
the towering cliffs of these islets the sunsets and the 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 117 

starry nights are beyond compare. Formerly before the 
European war no wealthy Britisher's life was complete 
without a yatching trip to the north of Scotland. 

Are there flowers there! We would think so; because 
the great Creator in some way has rendered beautiful 
and attractive the most barren and inaccessible parts 
of the earth, the coldest and hottest. The edelweis 
blooms amid Alpine snows ; the acacia waves her yellow 
hair in Arabian sands, the cactus sheds its perfume In 
the rainless tracts of Arizona; gems sparkle in the 
fathomless depths of ocean. 

This contention with the forces of nature on such 
shores as the Orkneys has given to the Scotch thus ren- 
ders life in most climes easy. What chance would an 
Otaheite islander or a tropically reared man have 
against a descendant of the McGregors or a Scottish 
highlander with equal conditions. For the Scot it would 
be like taking candy from a baby. 

What time John Smith came to Scotland proper we 
are not informed. He undoubtedly must have received 
his ministerial education there. 

At the age of 29 he was married to Mary Bland, of 
Dumfries, on April 4, 1826. She was born July, 1808. 
She was the daughter of Robert Bland and Mary Mc- 
Gregor. Soon after marriage he was sent as a mis- 
sionary to China: to what particular part is now not 
known. From the dates of liis childrens' birth and where 
born he could not possibly have remained very long in 
China. We give the history as furnished us by Mrs. 
Bland Clark: 

Robert Andrew Tomlinson, born at Malacca January 
17, 1827. Helen Margaret, born at Malacca September 
22, 1828. Mary Ann Aldersey, born off the coast of 
the isle, of St. Helena, December 10, 1829. James Hen- 
ry, born at Montreal, Canada, November 30, 1831. Bland 
Elizabeth (Mrs. Clark) born at Kingston, Canada, Feb- 
ruar}^ 6, 1834. These were the children of the first wife. 

He married (second) Elizabeth Bland, a sister of his 
first wife (Mary Bland), in Canada on August 9, 1835. 
She was born at Dumfries, Scotland, October 30, 1800. 
Her children were : 

Wm. Henry, b. at Brockville, Canada, July 9, 1837; d. 
in infancv. 



118 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Jane Isabel, b. at Brockville, on September 30, 1838. 
Angeline Henrietta, b. at Union Village, N. Y., February 
16, 1840. Wm. Henry (2), born at Troy, September 28, 
1843, Caroline Emily Hutchinson (afterward Mrs. 
Buell), b. at Troy, N. Y., September 23, 1845. 

There were some peculiar circumstances connected 
with this Smith family. That having a famil}^ he should 
traverse the oceans to Malacca and then to China, re- 
turning to Malacca and back again to England or Scot- 
land and thence to the British dominions in North 
America soon after. He made the voyage to British 
Isles from Malacca in 1829, as evidenced by the birth 
of one of his children off the coast of St. Helena. That 
also shows that he did not go direct from Asia to 
Canada, for in that case he would not have gone from 
the Cape of Good Hope by St. Helena, made historic 
as the prison of the great Napoleon. This was at a 
time when the canal on the isthmus of Suez had scarce- 
ly been conceived. It was some voyage then in a slow 
sailing vessel especially when buffeted by contrary 
winds. I assume also that John reared on the brink 
of a tempestuous ocean did not dread the waves and was 
never sick at sea or he would not have spent so much 
of his time on ships. Yet with the best accommodations 
then obtairable it was hard on the youthful mother of 
three children, she being twenty-one and a half years 
old and the eldest child less than three. 

He married two daughters of Robert Bland and Mary 
McGregor. One he married when she was 18 years of 
age and the other (the second wife) when she was 35 
years old. His first wife was also eight years the 
younger of the two. Each was the mother of five chil- 
dren. He was born in the land of the diminutive Shet- 
land pony, two of his children in the region of the mighty 
elephant; one on the high seas, one in Montreal and 
one in Kingston, Canada. These were the children of 
the first wife. The .five children of the second wife w^ere 
born as follows : Two were born at Brockville, Canada, 
one at Union Village, N. Y., and two at Troy, N. Y. To 
three of the children were given the name of Henry: 
one James Henry and two William Henry, the first Wil- 
liam Henry dying in infancy. We infer from this that 
either John or his wives w^ere very partial to the name 



niSTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 119 

of Henry but did not care to perpetuate the name of 
John; he had had enough of it. Mrs. Clark says too 
that though the grandchildren and great grandchildren 
are very numerous that not one of them living bears 
the surname of Smith. 

Also when once his children left the place of their 
nativity, which they usually did early in life, none re- 
turned to reside, like Roderick Dhu, on their native 
heath and very rarely set foot on it. His descendants 
are -dispersed from Canada to Brazil and not a Smith 
among them to perpetuate the name. There are how- 
ever a few Smiths left in New^ York City, so the direc- 
tory says. 

Mrs. Helen Margaret Cooke. 

I take this from the Chattanooga Times of Decem- 
ber 5, 1915. 

"Kirkwall is a little place with about 4,000 inhab- 
itants in the island county of Orkney. Its location may 
.be fixed in the minds of the reader by the statement of 
the fact that it is between 20 and 30 miles north of the 
famous 'John 0. Groats', the most northern point of 
Scotland. Because of its commodious harbor, in which 
can be held hundreds of vessels, and on account of the 
fact the harbor space is not occupied, it is used by the 
British as the most available place for the internment of 
detained United States ships. This has given it a prom- 
inence it miglit not otherwise have obtained." 

"It is of interest to note that Ivirkwall and its sur- 
roundings furnish one of the most interesting places in 
the world for sightseeing. History and tradition com- 
bine to trace the civilization and architecture back to 
the times of Scandinavian supremacy. The castle, pal- 
ace and cathedral are buildings of remarkable interest 
and the scener^^ of the surrounding country is described 
as beautiful." 

The springs and creek which supply the waters that 
flow through our town and by a thousand devious chan- 
nels for thousands of miles find their way to the Gulf 
of Mexico. And are they lost there! By no means. 
Warmed by the suns of Yucatan they become part of 
the Gulf Stream, the mightiest water course on our 



120 HISTORIC OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

globe — mightier even than the Bosphorus that empties 
from the Black Sea into the Mecliterranian and the form- 
er affording ten times the volume of the Mississippi. This, 
the Gulf Stream, sweeps northeasterly in its irresistible 
flow and tempers the climate of many lands. It ren- 
ders habitable the Orkneys and blesses wherever it goes. 
Thus one part of the world gets its food, its climate, its 
civilization and often even its religion from another 
part. "Am I (not) my brother's Keeper?" 

"And east is east and west is west and never, the 
twain shall meet, Till earth and sky stand presently at 
God's great judgment seat." A very pretty jingle, Mr. 
Kipling, but is it true! No, though w^e should endeavor 
to isolate ourselves on an uncharted isle of the Pacific, 
soon or late some ship would come our way and insist 
on knowing what we were there for. 

Mr. Smith was educated at Oxford, England; was a 
teacher and preacher and was possessed of a magnifi- 
cent library. 

Mrs. Cook was born in Malacca and ''Little Ellen," 
as her mother called her, sojourned some months in 
Singapore, Asia, traversed two oceans, lived in Mon- 
treal, Kingston, Brockville, and Bath in Canada, Troy 
and Union Village in New York, Selma, Ala., Athens, 
Cleveland and Sweetwater, Tenn., and Fort Valley, Ga., 
and also in Florida. There she spent her last days. 

With these advantages of parentage and education 
and being associated with the best people in many sec- 
tions and being a bright and attractive woman one can 
well conceive what her influence in life must have been. 

She came south to Selma, Ala., about 1850. She m. 
there Professor H. G. Cooke, a teacher of music on the 
violin and piano. They came to Athens, Tenn., probably 
in 1853. She taught there a private school till the fall 
of 1856. She taught also at Cleveland, Tenn., in 1857. 
At Athens Mrs. Julia B. Love, Mrs. D. B. Childress and 
Mrs. S, J. A. Frazier were among the number of her' 
pupils. 

In 1858 she came to Sweetwater and became the prin- 
cipal of the girls' school in the Union Institute, now the 
Baptist Seminary. She taught in this building until the 
schools were closed on account of the occupation of this 
section by the Federal troops. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 121 

She was intensely southern in feelings. She always 
was very partial to the southern people and the climate 
of the south and the majority of her friends were in this 
section of the country. During the war she hesitated 
not to express her opinions and even her husband, a 
former Massachusetts man, was also a southern sympa- 
thizer. She entertained General John H. Morgan on one 
of his raids through this country. For this or more 
probably because she was under accusation of giving 
information to the '' rebels" through a secret, then 
termed an ^'underground mail system," she was sent 
through the lines, by whose order I am not informed. 
She finally reached Fort Valley, Ga., where the famil)^ 
of Sterling Neil "refugeed" wdien the Federal troops 
occupied this valley. Stella Neil, now Mrs. J. C. Slap- 
py, had been a pupil of hers at Sweetwater. 

Before the Civil War she contracted for lot No. 127, 
bounded by High, Morris, Church and Walnut streets, 
adjoining the Union Institute lot 126 and built a resi- 
dence thereon. The street between the two lots has 
since been closed by the town authorities. 

Some time after the war she returned to her home in 
Sweetwater. She had a small building erected on her 
own lot and taught a private school there. These build- 
ings now have both been removed or torn down. 

She also taught a school in the lower floor of the Ma- 
sonic Hall then occupying the site of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, South. 

She moved to Bridgeport, Florida, . She 

died there on May 13, 1896. 

Mrs. Cooke in her teaching strenuously insisted on 
thoroughness, industry' and obedience to rules. Being 
such an indefatigable w^orker herself she could not tol- 
erate a lazy pupil. Yet she was patience personified 
when the scholar was dull but really trying to learn. 
She was a strict disciplinarian and though firm she was 
always kind and managed to gain not only the respect 
but love of her pupils. I have heard many of them, most 
of whom are now passed away, express a devout thank- 
fulness that they were taught by Mrs. Cooke. 

She turned out many who were afterward teachers, 
both in the academical and musical departments. Few 
indeed were there of her pupils who were not well 



122 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

grounded in the ''three R's" and numerous ones were 
shining lights in the higher branches. She taught near- 
ly everything but domestic science ; this her girls were 
expected to learn at home so far as they could. 

She was a member of the Presbyterian church and 
owing to her disposition never neglected church or 
Sunday-school duties. 

William did you mean it? ''Mean what," said the 
shade of the immortal Shakspear? "what you said 
about the evil that men do lives after them, the good 

is oft interred with their bones." 

***** 

"Get thee to a sanitarium, you mast fed East Ten- 
nesseean, you, I'm not answering fool question today; 
but this I will say, a part of it I meant and a part I 
didn't. Take your choice. Good-bye." 

"William, sorry I disturbed you, take a rest and a 
coca cola for your nerves." 

Now there may be those who may have minds scepti- 
cally inclined. They may refuse to believe that I called 
his spirit up at all from the — the vastly deep — as the 
Sw^eetwater telephone thitherward is not in working or- 
der — and if I did call, there was no answer or if there 
was an answer it was not Shakspear but his ste- 
nographer that answered. Again the language attrib- 
uted to him is not Shakspearian and he had no knowl- 
edge that East Tennesseeans fed on acorns like the 
Druids of old. 

But you can have it your own way ; take it or leave it ; 
I'm agreeable. I am about to give you the contents of a 
paper showing that the good Mrs. Cooke did live after 
her and that her soul is "marching on" but not in the 
John Brown direction, which is bad for John B. 

The paper to which I refer was compiled and written 
by Miss Miranda E. Yearwood for the H. M. Cooke 
Memorial Library some time this year (1915). It is very 
highly interesting and instructive and almost a com- 
plete history of the library movement in the town of 
Sweetwater and surrounding country. That the town 
sorely needed a library goes without saying. Read her 
article, ye moneyed men and women, and loosen up your 
purse strings ! And do not wait till you are worth a 
million to do it, but help endow the library so that it 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 123 

will not have a hand to mouth existence year after year. 

Right here permit me to say, whether pertinent or 
not, if any one. after reading- Miss Yearwood's paper, 
is bold enough to assert that the women of the first civil 
district of Monroe County have not sufficient intelli- 
gence and principle to transact business and cast the 
ballot, I would like for him to come forth and exhibit 
himself. 

True the ladies usually get what they want as it is, 
but not always when they want it. I have several times 
been told by some of them how I must vote or suffer 
the penalty, and I have no legal boss either. 

Some oppose female suffrage because they fear that 
the ballot will corrupt the women without elevating the 
franchise. A point not well taken. Is the sunbeam cor- 
rupted when it shines on a heap of garbage! 

The paper of Miss Yearwood follows: 

Helen M. Cooke Memorial Library. 

On February 11, 1905, twenty-three i^ersons from the 
town and surrounding country met in the Sweetwater 
Seminary building, then used by the "Tennessee Mil- 
itary Institute," to discuss plans to establish a j)ublic 
library in the town of Sweetwater. 

Mrs. J. Harrison Lowry was chairman of the meeting. 
She stated the purpose of the meeting and stressed the 
special need for a library in the town. Miss Bess Love 
told of the start made, stating that when the Misses 
Coffin were preparing to leave Sweetwater they had 
given her mother, Mrs. Julia Reagan Love, thirty-five 
books. Mrs. Love offered these books with others she 
would donate toward a public library. Many others 
offered from three to six books and numerous magazines. 
For the present Colonel 0. C. Hulvey offered a room in 
the school building, rent free, for ahome for the library. 

On voting the name was made the "Sweetwater Pub- 
lic Library Association," books to be obtained from 
membership fees, gifts, and by money earned by public 
entertainments, teas, etc. 

The membership (fee) was placed at $1.00 per year, 
thus making a membership within the reach of all. 
Without charge any one can use the reference books 
or read in the library when open to the public. 



124 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Colonel 0. C. Hulvey was made president, Mrs. J. H. 
Lowr}^, vice-president, and Miss Bess Love, secretary- 
treasurer. A committee was named to draft By-laws 
and a Constitution, one to solicit memberships, one to se- 
lect books. The books were to be judiciously propor- 
tioned as to subjects in history, biography, fiction, na- 
ture, travel, essays, etc. 

The officers of February, 1905, served until Septem- 
ber, 1907. Then on February 7, 1907, S. T. Jones was 
elected president, Mrs. J. R. Love, vice-president, Miss 
Nancy Jones, recording secretary, Mrs. J. R. Bradley, 
corresponding secretary, and Clarence E. Young, treas- 
urer. 

Early in 1908 the room heretofore donated by Colonel 
0. C. Hulvey was needed for school purposes and the 
books and furnishings were removed to a small build- 
ing in the yard of S. T. Jones, which we used rent free. 

On March 21, 1908, Mrs. Bland E. Clark offered as a 
gift the small building and the ground on which it stood, 
opposite the Southern Methodist Church, for a home 
for the library, provided the name be changed from 
the Sweetwater Library Association," to the "Helen 
M. Cooke Memorial Library," in memory of Mrs. 
Clark's sister, Mrs. Helen Margaret Cooke, one of the 
pioneer educators in this community. Mrs. Ida Clark 
Hutcheson offered $100.00 to the building fund provided 
Mrs. Clark's offer was accepted. It was with great 
pleasure that the association made the change in name 
by a unanimous vote. 

Several parties made an effort to secure a charter but 
each time failed in some essential. C. E. Young, treas- 
urer, took the matter in hand and secured a char- 
ter for the *^ Helen M. Cooke Memorial Library" in Sep- 
tember, 1910. It was signed by S. T. Jones, C. M. Young, 
Mrs. L. E. Heiskell and Misses Bess Love and Miranda 
E. Yearwood. 

A building committee was appointed composed of 
Mrs. Bland E. Clark, C. E. Young, Mrs. S. T. Jones, and 
Misses Bess Love, Nancy Jones and Miranda E. Year- 
wood. The building given by Mrs. Clark was originally 
a small barn which had been converted into a dwelling. 
The committee could not dispose of this building to ad- 
vantage, so concluded to remodel and add to it; which 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 125 

was done. When completed it was convenient and com- 
modious. A circular was issued signed by pupils of 
Mrs. Cook now residing in this community and mailed 
to all her former pupils whose addresses we could learn, 
telling of the proposed memorial to her name and ask- 
ing for donations toward the building fund. Among the 
replies received enclosing check, was one from Mr. Will 
price (of Chicago), sending $25.00 and promising that 
when the building was completed he would donate a 
piano of his firm (Price and Peeple, Chicago) make. 
This he did. $200.00 was subscribed by citizens not pu- 
pils of Mrs. Cooke and the balance to complete the build- 
ing was made by various entertainments. The building 
w^as completed April, 1911, at a cost of $1,036.70 and all 
paid. 

The assembly room is finished in mission style, 
beamed ceiling, hardwood floor, built-in window seats, 
stone chimney, tinted walls, green stained woodwork 
and bookcases; large library table and piano to corre- 
spond. Electric light fixtures, rugs and window shades 
also to correspond. Clarence E. Young denated a mis- 
sion clock and Mrs. Clark a Morris chair for this room. 

Adjoining the main room is the kitchen, furnished; 
sink with water connections, table and dumb waiter to 
the second floor. In the pantry adjoining the kitchen 
there are numerous utensils and odd dishes in addition 
to three dozen small plates, three dozen large plates, 
three dozen cups and saucers, three dozen sauce dishes 
with green band and the ''Helen M. Cooke Library" in 
green. These dishes were donated by Mr. and Mrs. 
Robert N. Penland. Across the end and down back 
side of the building is a wide porch lighted by electric 
lights. The stairs (enclosed) ascend from the side porch 
and enter the main room on the second floor (also hard- 
w^ood) and which has built-in seats and shelves. Adjoin- 
ing this main room is a storeroom and serving room 
with dumb waiter coming from the kitchen. The main 
room on the second floor is rented by the United Daugh- 
ters Confederacy chapter as an assembly room. 

The entire building with its contents is rented (when 
desired) for private or public entertainments at a rea- 
sonable rate and is an ideal place for holding receptions, 
etc. There are folding tables and folding chairs. The 



126 HISTOBY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

library owns about 1,800 books and subscribes for four- 
teen magazines ; ten magazines are donated. 

The library is open to the public three hours every 
Saturda}^ afternoon. Different ones serve as librarian, 
donating their services. 

At the fair in 1914 in connection with the ' ' City Beau- 
tiful League" the members of the library served lunch 
and realized for the treasury $100.00. We have no in- 
come excepting membership fees and are compelled to 
resort to lunches, entertainments, etc., to replenish our 
bookshelves. 

We make an order for new books four times a year 
and have added new bookcases, rugs and curtains that 
were badly needed. 

When the plans of the building were submitted there 
was not enough ground for the building contemplated, 
so Mrs. Clark donated more ground to extend to yard 
fence of Mrs. Hutcheson and to extend to the wire fence 
of her (Mrs. Clark's) garden. 

1915 officers are Mrs. S. T. Jones, president, Mrs. J. 
R. Love, vice-president, Clarence E. Young, secretary- 
treasurer, and Miss Nancy E. Jones, librarian. 

Children of Mrs. H. M. Cooke. 

Henr^^ B. Cooke was born at Athens, Tenn., May 8, 
1854. He married Fannie S. Meir, of Boulder, Col. She 
was born in Mitchell, lud., November 27, 1861. He and 
she both are members . of the Baptist church. After 
learning his trade, that of brick-mason and plasterer, 
at Sweetwater under Captain W. L. Clark he went to 
Boulder, Col., then to Ash Grove, Mo., then to Coffee- 
ville, Kan., thence to Cedaredge, Col. At the last named 
place he died on January 15, 1912. Their children are : 
Harry D. Cooke, Red Cliff, Col. ; C. M. Cooke, Cedar- 
edge, Col. ; Nellie M. Cooke, Cedaredge, Col., and Mrs. 
Susan McCormick, Red Cliff, Col. 

Charles Maynard Cooke 

Was born at Athens, Tenn., July 1, 1856. He got 
his 'education from his mother and the public schools 
of Sweetwater. He studied law and went to Fort Smith, 
Ark., in 1882. There he married Sarah B. Luce, daugh- 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 127 

ter of Rear Admiral John Bleecker Luce on June 2, 
1884. He has been city atttorney and mayor of Fort 
Smith and was assistant United States district attorney 
for the Western District of Arkansas in Mr. Cleveland's 
first administration. Since 1908 he has been a Christian 
Scientist. He moved to Harrison, Ark., in 1912. 
The children of C. M. Cooke and wife are : 

1. John Bleecker, b. May 17, 1885. In United States 
Navy at Mare Island. 

2. Charles Maynard, b. December 19, 1886. In United 
States Navy at Brooklyn Navy Yard, Lieutenant in . 
command of Submarine E-2. 

3. Helen m., b. November 8, 1888; m. Johnson, Fort 
Smith, Ark. 

4. Cornelia P., b. July 21, 1890. Now at Pennsylvania 
Hospital, Philadelphia. 

5. William Forester, b. July 8, 1892. 4229 South Ben- 
ton Boulevard, Kansas City, Mo. 

6. Stephen Bland, b. August 23, 1898. Attending 
school in Philadelphia, preparatory to entering An- 
napolis Naval Academy to which he has an appoint- 
ment. 

Nellie Cooke (McLin) 

Was born at Sweetwater May 1, 1859. She married 
Chas. E. McLin on January 3, 1882. He was born in 
Blount Comity, September 3, 1858. Mother and father 
were George A. and Jane McConnell McLin. C. E. 
McLin is secretary and treasurer of Anchor Duck Mills 
at Rome, Ga. Children: Clifton, b. June 23, 1885; d. 
August 7, 1901. Helen, b. January 6, 1895. 

James W. Clark 

Was born in Washington County, Va., December 23, 
1825. He came to Monroe County, Tenn., probably 
early in the forties. He helped to build some of the 
residences in and around Madisonville. He had re- 
ceived a common school education and was not afraid of 
work. He and laziness did not have a speaking acquaint- 
ance. 

He first married Sydney Ann, daughter of Robt. 
Cannon, who owned a large farm on the stage road one 
and a half miles northeast of Philadelphia, on Novem- 



128 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

ber 20, 1847. They had been married scarcely seven 
years when death came suddenly. The summer and fall 
of 1854 there was a great scourge of cholera in this sec- 
tion of the country. It was very prevalent and very 
fatal in Sweetwater Valley. The people were panic- 
stricken and I am told that half or more that took it 
died. 

Mrs. Clark died of this disease July 29, 1854. She was 
born September 19, 1830. Robt. Cannon, father of Mrs. 
Clark, died also on the same date as his daughter. Previ- 
ous to that time there had been no deaths in the family 
for a great number of years. 

The Loudon Free Press, a newspaper then in the 
town of Loudon, published the fact that in August, 1853, 
E. P. Clark, and J. W. Clark, and R. T. Wilson after- 
ward a New York millionaire, w^ere each commencing 
the erection of a new residence in that town. Mr. J. W. 
Clark never occupied his. 

Mrs. S. A. Clark left an infant daughter, Ida, who was 
born January 20, 1853; she married C. H. Hutcheson 
on December 30, 1887; she died at her residence in 
Sweetwater, January 28, 1915. 

Mrs. Hutcheson was a faithful member of the M. E. 
Church, South, and one of the church's strongest sup- 
porters. She devoted a great deal of her time in later 
years to the church and its various organizations — the 
Sunday-school, missionary societies, etc. She also took 
great interest in the schools of the town and in the H. 
M. C. Library Association. 

Mr. J. W. Clark married a second time, this time to 
Miss Bland Elizabeth Smith at Weston Mills, Catta- 
raugus County, New York, at the residence of her 
brother-in-law, H. P. Weston. She was born in King- 
ston, Canada, February 6, 1834. In 1855 she came south 
with Robt. McEwen, a merchant then of Athens, Tenn., 
who had gone to New York to purchase his stock of 
goods. The trip then was a toilsome one, and a young 
lady needed an escort. Miss Bland, came to Athens on 
a visit to her sister, Mrs. Helen M. Cooke, who was prin- 
cipal at a school for females at that place. 

When Mrs. Cooke came to Sweetwater in 1857 Miss 
Bland came with her and here she met Mr. Clark and as 
stated they were afterward married. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 129 

Mr. Clark was a contractor and builder. He and his 
brother, W. L. Clark, built many houses in Sweetwater, 
both business and residence. 

He was a zealous member of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, South. He superintended the construction 
of the new church here and he was the largest contrib- 
utor in money possibly with one exception, the Hon. Jno. 
K. Brown. He (Clark) spared no time or means to 
make the church and the parsonage adjoining such as 
would be an honor and a credit to the denomination and 
the town. The church stands on the site of the old Ma- 
sonic lodge, afterwards Victoria College, under charge 
of the Athens District Conference. He was a consid- 
erable stockholder in the bank of Sweetwater. The 
Sweetwater Flour Mill and the Sweetwater Woolen 
Mills. He was one of the town's most honored and 
respected citizens. 

From the time Sweetwater was incorporated he was 
either mayor or an alderman, so long as he would con- 
sent to accept the position. He died at his residence in 
Sweetwater on October 13, 1897, and was interred in 
West View Cemetery. 

Mrs. B. E. Clark survived her husband almost nine- 
teen years. She died at her residence in Sweetwater on 
Sunday, July 23, 1916, at 4:20 p. m. One of her last 
acts a short while before death was to donate $1,000.00 
to build a Sunday-school annex to the Methodist Church, 
South. 

Captain W. Leonidas Clark 

Was born near Abingdon in Washington County, Va., 
October 19, 1829. Mr. J. W. Clark was an older brother. 
He took the gold fever and went to California in 1857. 
He went by the Panama route I think. The tribulations 
were not so great as in 1850 when General Vaughn went 
by that route, but it was still far from being a Sunday- 
school picnic excursion. I do not know exactly in what 
part of California he sought his fortune, but I have 
heard him speak of being with J. F. Owen and others. 
They were successful enough in their search for gold to 
get money enough to get back on, which was by no means 
always the case. Mr. Clark returned to this valley in 
1860, as I am informed, as did also Mr. Owen. He 



130 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

(Clark), after his return to Sweetwater commencecl the 
study of medicine under Dr. M. C. Parker to learn how 
to cure people and ameliorate the ills of humanity ; how- 
ever, before being fully equipped for "curing" he was 
called on in 1861 to go and help kill the hated "invad- 
ers of our sacred southern soil." He joined Co. 

of Regiment, Tennessee Vol. Cav., C. S. A. (I have 

not his army record at hand but it is in the archives of 
Jno. A. Rowan Camp at Sweetwater.) He came out of 
the war a captain. He did not resume the study of med- 
icine but was a mason, plasterer and contractor and 
builder. He wrought at these with the same energy and 
determination with which he had fought the "yankees" 
and with much more satisfactory results. He soon ac- 
quired a competence. 

On November 12, 1870, he married Mrs. Mary E., 
widow of Mr. J. J. Sheldon (of whom a sketch has been 
given in these columns), and thereby hangs a tale if not 
a romance. 

He was both an operative and a speculative mason. 
He was W. M. many times of Sweetwater Lodge No. 292, 
F. & A. M. Tlie Grand Lodge formerly held its sessions 
in Nashville in November instead of January. Captain 
Olark and Mrs. Sheldon planned to get married just 
previous to the session of the Grand Lodge but kept 
their intentions secret. They went to Nashville on their 
iDridal tour. The captain was considerable of a practi- 
cal joker and therefore sometimes became the victim of 
one himself. However he was always good humored 
r.bout it and would ''acknowledge the corn" which would 
mean in later phrase "'the treats are on me." Some 
of his Masonic brethren in Sweetwater thought he 
should have given some inkling of his intentions so that 
they could have given him a good send-off. As that 
pleasure was not afforded them they sent a dispatch to 
the chief of police at Nashville somewhat as follows: 
"Arrest W. L. Clark, of Sweetwater, who has absconded 
with another man's wife." Word was sent. The ar- 
rest was made according to schedule. But when the 
brethren tried to explain to the chief that it was all a 
practical joke he refused to listen and said it was no 
joke with him, that he was simply doing his official duty. 
The matter was becoming serious and it took the Grand 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 131 

Lodge and the remnant of the Southern Confederacy to 
get his quick release. As the Captain laughingly said 
when he got back home: "I Scotts, bo3^s, you like to 
have got me in the jug, sure enough." Which goes to 
show that practical jokers sometimes go farther than 
they intend with their jokes and you can't always tell 
whom the joke is on. The senders of the telegram might 
have gotten into trouble. 

In 1878, Captain Clark bought 20 acres off of the 
Lenoir farm southwest of the town. He built a resi- 
dence on the hill on the Athens- road where he resided at 
the time of his death. He died April 20, 1889. He was 
a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. 

He possesed a good library and read much. He con- 
versed intelligently and interestingly on a variety of 
subjects. He had a contempt for shams and superficial 
knowledge. He said it was far better not to know any- 
thing at all than to "know" it wrong; for then you would 
not have to unlearn w^hat you thought you knew. En- 
tire ignorance was better than action on wrong assump- 
tions, which subjected you to loss and ridicule. 

The children of W. L. and M. E. Clark were: 

1. Charles L., b. October 11, 1873. 

2. Mabel E., b. January 18, 1875. 

3. Frances J., b. October 14, 1879. 

1. Charles L. m. Annie Rhea, daughter of Jno. R. 
Gaines, of Sweetwater on January 12, 1905. She was 
b. September 4, 1880. Their children are: James W., 
b. March 31, 1906, and John Craig, b. November 3, 1910. 
Charles Clark resides at the W. L. Clark residence in 
Sweetwater. He was educated in Sweetwater and is 
secretary and treasurer of The American Textile Com- 
pany. 

_. 2. Mabel E., m. Wesley Dickey, January 17, 1907. 
(For his history see Browder family.) She died August 
1, 1908. There" was one child, Mabel, b. August 1, 1908. 
3. Frances J., m. Robt. C. Copenhaver, of Abingdon, 
Va., May 10, 1906. He is a manufacturer of iron and 
lives at Abingdon. She died there Nov. 16, 1908. She 
was buried in West View Cemetery at Sweetwater. They 
had two children: Robert C, b. June 10, 1907, and 
Frances Clark, b. October 28, 1908. 



132 history of sweetwater valley 

The Cunnynghams. 

Tlie above is the way the family have commonly spelled 
the name in this country. The English use "i" instead 
of '^y. " I am inclined to think, however, without a 
thorough investigation, that the Scotch orthography was 
* ' Conyngham, ' ' meaning the home of the Con^Tigs. The 
Scotch word '^hame" means home. From the song 
"Comin' thro' the Rye" we cjuote: 

"What's his name or where 's his hame 
I dinna care to tell." 

James CunuAiigham was Scotch-Irish. He was an 
Episcopalian. He lived in Ulster, North Ireland. - He 
married Arabella Good. They emigrated to this country 
in 1769. They came through Philadelphia, Pa., and set- 
tled in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He died 
there sixteen or seventeens years later. (Holston 
Methodism, Vol. 2.) 

Their children were six in number: James, William 
(Henry), Arabella, Charlotte, Magdalen, and the name 
of the other not known. 

Shortly after the death of her husband, Mrs. Arabella 
Cunnyngham moved with her family and some others 
to Tennessee, to what w^as knowm afterwards as "Tay- 
lor's Bend" of the French Broad River. The year is 
given as 1786. James and William were born in Ire- 
land, the others in Shenandoah Valley. James w^as killed 
by the Cherokee Indians. Charlotte married Greorge 
Turnley of Botetourt County, Va. Arabella married 
John Winton and they were the ancestor and ancestress 
of the Roane County Wintons. 

William was born in Ireland July 3, 1765 He died in 
Sevier County, February 11, 1845. He married a Miss 
Lewis, a daughter of Amos Lewis. He was converted 
under the preaching of the Rev. Thos. Wilkerson and be- 
came a minister of the M. E. Church. Their children 
were Jesse, John, Wiley, Wilkerson, Polly, Betsey, Jane 
and Charlotte. 

€Tesse was born in Jefferson County on the French 
Broad River ten miles above Knoxville, October 25, 1789. 
Ilis M. E. Church history is as follows: He was con- 
verted in 1805 ; admitted to Holston Conference in 1811 ; 
was Presiding Elder in 1816; located in 1826; read- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 133 

mitted in 1849 and superannnated. He died in 1857. He 
was married to Mary Etter on December 16, 1819, She 
was born in Fincastle, Va. She was quite a noted wo- 
man. (See Holston Methodism.) She died at the resi- 
dence of her son-in-law, Robert Craven, on May 28, 1868. 
Mr. Craven lived near Chattanooga on the side of Look- 
out Mountain. They both were buried in the cemetery 
near Athens, Tenn. 

Jesse Cunnyngham's home from probably about 1826 
till the time of his death was in Monroe Comity not 
far from the head of Eastanallee Creek. This was after- 
ward known as the Edwards, now the W. F. Orr place. 
He w^as a noted revivalist. I heard a darkey talking 
about his preaching once. He was telling some other 
negroes: "He shore is a skeery preacher. I don't like 
to listen to him ; he makes me dream of the devil and 
the bad place." 

Jesse CunnjTigham was one of the four commission- 
ers appointed by the county court in 1835 to lay off 
Monroe County into districts ; the other commissioners 
being William Bayless, John Callaway, Senior and 
Thomas L. Toomy. They divided the county into seven- 
teen districts ; the number was afterward increased 
to twenty. 

Dr. Price in speaking of Jesse Cunnyngham and his 
wife says: "They reared a large family of children, 
brought them up in the fear of God, and they became or- 
naments to society and an honor to their parents. The 
Rev. W. G. E. Cunnyngham, one of his sons, came to 
eminence. He was for a number of years missionary to 
China and for a long time afterward was the Sunday- 
school secretarv and an editor of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, South." 

James R. Cunnyngham, 

son of Jesse Cunnyngham, was born January 28, 1828. 
He married Caroline S. Weathers, June 18, 1857. He 
died at his home on Eastanalla, October 3, 1898. Caroline 
S. Cunnyngham died at her home on Eastanalla Decem- 
ber 16, 1901. Children of J. R. and Caroline Cunnyng- 
ham: 



134 HISTORY OF SWEETY/ ATER VALLEY 

(1) Virginia M., b. March 9, 1858. She married Thos. 
Hunnycutt January 11, 1888. She died April 26, 1888. 
He married (second), . 

Live in Choctaw nation, Oklahoma. 

(2) Sarah, b. October 27, 1859. She died November 10, 
1861. 

(3) Charles W., b. February 12, 1863. He married 
Catharine Carter, March, 1893. He lives at Sweetwater, 
R. F. D. No. 1. 

(4) Mary C, b. May 6, 1865. She married J. A. Mc- 
Campbell April 15, 1899. They live at Knoxville, Tenn., 
E. F. D. No. 6. 

(5) Elizabeth C, b. November 22, 1867. She married 
C. B. Tansy, January 22, 1890. They live at Chatta- 
nooga. 

The children of Elizabeth Cunnyngham and C. B. 
Tansy are : 

a Hoyt, b. April 20, 1893. 

b Nita B., b. November 8, 1895. 

(6) Hattie, b. September 9, 1870. She married J. W. 
McBroom August 14, 1912. They live at Leon, Okla. 

(7) Jessie, b. May 30, 1877. She married Geo. C. Bout- 
well June 18, 1905. Mr. Boutwell died February, 1913. 
Mrs. Boutwell lives at Leon, Okla. 

We have no history of John, Wiley and Wilkerson, 
brothers of Jesse. The four sisters were Polly, Jane, 
Betsey and Charlotte. They all married and settled 
in this section. Polly married Thornton C. Goddard in 
Knox County on February 3, 1817. Betsey married 
Johnathan Pickel, of Pond Creek Valley, 1821. Jane 
married William Patton, of Sweetwater Valley, June, 
1823. Charlotte was the third wife of Samuel McSpad- 
den. They lived on Dancing Branch seven miles south 
of Sweetwater. 

The descendants of the Cunnynghams, wherever you 
trace them, are numerous. Those in McMinn, Monroe, 
Loudon and Roane counties are not exceptions to this 
rule. They are long-lived and retain their mental and 
physical vigor to ripe old age. 

The Cunnynghams. 

It is a characteristic of the Cunnyngham posterity, 
wherever they have lived or whatever name known by. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 135 

to be independent, free and untrammeled in politics, re- 
ligion and personal habits. However there is little or 
nothing of the puritan in their make-up. There was 
never any disposition to persecute others for opinions 
sake. Their attitude to the outside world was: '^You 
let me and my family alone and what does not concern 
you and I'll let you alone." They do not insist that 
others shall adopt their opinions and habits ; which con- 
sidering their number and influence is a "God's bless- 
ing." Not that what they do and the manner in which 
they do it may be wrong in itself, but some of them are 
idiosyncratic; have queer ways peculiar to themselves. 
One of these descendants I knew years ago said to a 
friend, who had criticised his actions: "I do and say 
what I please, when I please and where I please." This 
notwithstanding Solomon asserted: ''There is a time 
for all things." So he proceeded in summer to go bare- 
foot almost everywhere he went, except sometimes to 
church. This he did, not on account of the expense of 
boots and shoes, but he contended that it was more, 
healthful and saved much time He lived, as we would 
now say, according to eugenics. He did not try to make 
others go barefoot but said that was his w^ay and that 
was the way he was going to do as long as it violated 
no law of God or man. In simple matters of taste we 
should not dispute. No doubt it was just as uncom- 
fortable for him to wear shoes in hot weather as it would 
be for a tenderfoot to walk over gravels without them. 
As to church predilections the Cunn^mghams were near- 
ly all Methodists, a few have been Presbyterians. 



The Cunnynghams-Pattoks. 

We have already given the history of those branches 
of the Cunnyngham family which intermarried with 
Jonathan Pickel, T. C. Goddard and William Patton, 
of Sweetwater Valley. We now take up that branch of 
the Pattons, using largely as to remote ancestry infor- 
mation obtained from the late Wiley Patton, a former 
resident of Sweetwater but dying in Texas. 

Hans Patton, evidently of German origin, settled in 
what is now Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, betw^een 



136 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAX.LEY 

the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers near the site of 
Pittsburgh. Fort Duquesne, located in the forks of 
above rivers, was in possession of the French and Indians 
until 1738. It is presumed from what is narrated here- 
after, that he went there subsequent to that time and 
previous to 1776. Little is known of his history; when 
he died or what his wife's name was. He was the father 
of three sons, Robert, Frances and Jacob, and two daugh- 
ters, Jane and Phoebe. 

Robert was a Revolutionary soldier. His record is 
on file in the United States Pension Office, Washington, 
D. C. He was first a lieutenant and then a captain be- 
fore the close of the war. His son, William Patton, was 
born in Allegheny County, Pa., April 22, 1792. After 
that time "he (Robert)," Wiley Patton wrote, ''moving 
■ from there (Allegheny County, Pa.) to Kentucky, thence 
to Knox County, Tennessee, staying a few years in each 
state, and died in Knox County on the 4th day of Sep- 
tember, 1815. He was about 65 years old. ' ' Tliis would 
make the year of his birth 1750. 

The maiden name of Robert's wife was Isabella 
Fraaser. From the use of the "aa" in the spelling of 
the name I would take it that she was a Hollander. She 
died in Knox County, October 18, 1822, at about the age 
of 59, making the year of her birth 1763. 

William Patton was the son of Robert and Isabella 
Patton. If there were other children we are not in- 
formed. 

William Patton. 

William P. married Jane Cunnyngham, as has been 
stated, in Knox County, in June, 1823. Soon afterward 
they settled in Sweetwater Valley four miles south of 
where the town of Sweetwater now is, and one mile north 
of the low gap in Sweetwater ridge. He was a farmer 
and a mechanic. He paid considerable attention to stock 
raising. He was the first man if not the only man to 
have a track in the valley for the training of horses. It 
was on the quarter section on which he resided. It was 
a straight half-mile track and ran along near the pub- 
lic road. It was not inclosed and sometimes young- 
bloods in this section who wanted to know who had the 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 137 

fastest horse went there to find ont. The amount in- 
volved in the result was usually small and no great at- 
tention was attracted. 

William Patton did everything with conscientious 
thoroughness. To illustrate. He was a fine mechanic. 
During the Civil War here in the south iron furnaces 
and foundries either were not running, or if they were 
they were engaged in the manufacture of arms and mu- 
nitions of war for the Confederacy. W^ood in many in- 
stances had to take the place of iron. At that time near- 
ly every one wdio farmed at all raised a patch of sor- 
ghum. The cane was used for the manufacture of mo- 
lasses and sugar, more largely the former. When sugar 
could not be obtained molasses was substituted for it; 
one was called "long sweetening" the other "short 
sweetening." In serving cotfee or parched rye water 
(postum) it was sometimes asked which you preferred 
*'long or short sweetening." 

Cane mills were scarce in those days and very much 
needed. They were also considered difficult to make. 
My father, I. T. Lenoir, had tried several which had 
proved very unsatisfactory. It was a problem to find 
some one to make a good one. Mr. Patton learning of it 
told my father if he would furnish him a strong hand 
to turn the lathe and do whatever he w^anted him to do 
that he would make him one that would work. My father 
told him that he would gladly do so and furnish any ma- 
terial that could be obtained. This I think was in the 
summer of 1861 or 1862. For a shop Mr. Patton had 
only a hand lathe under a shed in front of the house 
near the road. He had only a few tools. 

True the machinery you might say was simple — two 
hard wood rollers with wooden cogs — the rollers placed 
upright in a frame and attached to a sweep or lever so a 
horse could turn them. The horse went in a circle and 
led himself around after he was started. 

It was a very much mooted question in the neighbor- 
hood with the appliances at hand whether or not Mr. 
Patton could make a satisfactory machine. It was next 
in importance to whether the ''yanks" or "rebs" would 
whip in the fight. It became a matter of neighborhood 
pride that he should be successful. I, a boy then, took 
great interest in the work, went along with the hand 



138 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

and closely watched its progress. Mr. Patton took much 
pains and was very deliberate in his work. When the 
mill was finished we hauled it home with as much pride 
as if it had been the ark of the covenant. It worked like 
a charm; I would have been sorely disappointed if it 
had not. It lasted many years and proved a blessing 
also to the neighbors, who were free to use it. He was 
importuned to make other mills but refused; said that 
he made that one merely as a model to show what could 
be dotie ; that he was getting too old for such work : He 
w^as then about 70. He had no idea then that his sor- 
ghum mill would be written of more than fifty years 
afterward or become historical. 

The latter part of the war he resided with his son, J. 
H. Patton, of Sweetwater. He died there June 28, 1864. 
He was buried at Mount Lebanon Cemetery. His re- 
mains were removed and reinterred in the Wiley Pat- 
ton lot in the old Sweetwater Cemetery. 

His wife, Jane Cunnyngham Patton, was born Feb- 
ruary 9, 1798, and died October 28, 1857. Her remains 
lie in the old Presbyterian Cemetery at Philadelphia. 
They were both members of the Presbyterian church. 

The children of William Patton and Jane Patton were 
eight : 

(1) John Elbert, (2) James Harvey, (3) Elizabeth 
Ann, (4) Margaret Jane, (5) Alvin, (6)" William H, (7) 
Wilev, (8) Thomas Wilkerson. 

(1) J. E. Patton was b. July 22, 1824, d. February 23, 
1852. Buried at cemetery at Philadelphia. He was 
never married. 

(2) J. H. Patton was b. February 11, 1826; d. Au- 
gust 2, 1894. He was married to Margaret A. McSpad- 
den, of New Market. Jefferson County. Tenn. She was 
b. October 3, 1836. She d. May 10,^1884. 

In the latter part of 1853 or early in 1854 he came 
from his father's farm to Sweetwater. He formed a 
partnership in a general merchandise business with his 
cousin, John W. Goddard, who had been in business at 
Philadelphia. Mr. Patton purchased from I. T. Lenoir 
a lot on the corner of Depot Street and Wright's Allej^ 
across the alley from the site now occupied by Guthrie, 
Bradley & Jones. In the old plan of the town, gotten 
up by I. T. Lenoir and as laid off by him, the street on 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 139 

the west part of the depot square was always called De- 
pot Street and the street on the other side of the rail- 
road opposite was Railroad Street and it was always 
written so in the early deeds to the town lots. Since 
then I have noticed in some of the deeds of late years to 
lots on Depot Street that street is called Railroad Street, 
and sometimes Main Street. I note this fact so that 
hereafter confusion in names and titles may be pre- 
vented. 

In the fall of 1859 Wiley Patton, a brother of Har- 
vey, bought out J. W. Goddard and became a partner of 
his brother J. H. The style of the firm was changed 
from Goddard and Patton to J. H. Patton & Brother, 
and this partnership continued until 1880. Mr. Patton 
and his wife first lived in a building back of his store, 
then in a residence next to where Mrs. Julia Stilman now 
resides, afterward in the house where William Patton, 
his son, now lives (1916). 

His business affairs were various and he was emi- 
nently successful. He owned a quarter section of land 
one and a half miles west of Sweetwater. He occupied 
many positions of trust. He w^as elder in the Presby- 
terian Church at Sweetwater for fifteen years. He 
was secretary of the Sweetwater lodge F. & A. M. for 
more than that time. It was an exceedingly rare thing 
that he ever made a mistake in his accounts either in his 
personal business or in his offices of trust. Although 
not physically very strong he managed to transact a 
great amount of business. He w^as always known as a 
fine collector of clebts due the lodge, the church or him- 
self. Yet I have never known of his suing anybody or 
having a law suit or giving otfense for asking for the 
payment of a debt. How this w^as accomplished I never 
understood. 

He was always one of the moving spirits in his 
church and in all school affairs. He was particularly 
influential because of the confidence of the entire com- 
munity in his good judgment and correctness. He was 
naturally very conservative and opposed change unless 
he was thoroughly convinced that the change would be 
greatly beneficial. However if he was out voted or any- 
thing was determined in opposition to his wishes, he gen- 



140 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

erally strove for its success as much as if he had been 
in favor of it. 

The married life of himself and his wife was an 
ideal one. He could not possibly have accomplished 
what he did in his varied business affairs had his wife 
been almost any other woman. They reared such a fam- 
ily of children as few people have ever been blessed with. 

The children of J. H. Patton and Margaret Patton 
were : 

1. Emma, b. October — , 1860. Married R. A. Tedford 
May 12, 1897. He was a druggist at Maryville, Tenn. 
He Vlied in March, 1907. 

2. Madge, b. June 3, 1863; d. June 28, 1908. 

3. Alice, b. January 28, 1867. 

These three sisters were educated mostly by Mrs. H. 
M. Cooke at Sw^eetwater. Alice was m. to J. A. Magill 
on January 11, 1894. James Alexander Magill was b. 
August 20, 1865; He was the son of Aurelius N. and 
Jane L. Wilson Magill. Died on Lookout Mountain on 
July 10, 1899. He was cashier of the Bank of Sweetwater 
from November, 1886, till January 5, 1897. He resigned 
the office on account of ill health. He organized the 
Mascot Knitting Mills at Sweetwater. He was a re- 
markable business man of his age. He was president of 
the Y. M. C. A., superintendent of the Presbyterian 
Sunday-school, and on May 1, 1897, he and W. G. Bogart 
were ordained deacons in the Presbyterian church. 

Alice P. married (second) Rev. Wm, Bartlett, of Mary- 
ville, Tenn. He is the son of the late P. M. Bartlett, 
who at the time of his death was president of Maryville 
College. Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett now (1916) reside in 
Chattanooga. 

4. William, b. June 29, 1872. Educated at Sweetwater. 
When a young man went to Dalton, Ga., as an employee 
of the Crown Cotton Mills of which his father was presi- 
dent. He married Francis McCuthen Bitting, daughter 
of John H. Bitting, of Dalton, Ga., on November 19, 1896, 
and they came to Sweetwater in that same month. They 
live in the J. H. Patton house, on Mayes Avenue, the 
third built by him in Sweetwater. 

He is president of the Mascot Hosiery Mills. 

5. James Patton, b. December 28, 1874. Educated at 
Sweetwater College under J. L. Bachman, D. D. He 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAJLLEY 141 

married Bessie, second daughter of J. L. Bacliman, on 
January 16, 1902. They reside on Mayes Avenue, Sweet- 
water. He is secretary and treasurer of the Mascot 
Hosiery Mills. In 1915 was chairman of the Monroe 
County Road Commission. James and Bessie Patton 
have one son, James Harvey, III, b. February 27, 1903. 

(3) Elizabeth Aim Patton was born the 12th of Sep- 
tember, 1828. She married B. M. Porter. He was born 
in McMinn County, January 14, 1831. After their mar- 
riage they resided in Knoxville for a short while and 
then in October, 1876, moved to Weatherford, Texas. 
They both died and were buried there. They had five 
children (1) Jane Amelia, (2) Boyd, (3) Benjamin 
Franklin, (4) William Harvey, (5) ' Maggie Elizabeth. 
Jane Amelia was married to 0. K. Kidwell. Their post- 
office is at Weatherford, Texas. 

(4) Margaret Jane Patton was the fourth child of 
William Patton. She married A. H, Murray. They re- 
sided for many years in Sweetwater and \dcinity. They 
reared a family. Tliey moved to Ash Grove, Mo., exact 
date not known. They both died there. 

(5) Alvin Patton died in infancy. 

(6) William H. Patton was born in 1834. He moved 
to Texas two or three years before the Civil War. He 
joined the Texas Rangers and served throughout the war 
with them. A short time after his return home to De- 
catur, Texas, he died. He was never married. 

(7) Wiley Patton was born in Monroe County on his 
father's farm on April 3, 1836. He clerked for S. J. 
Rowan a part of the year 1859 ; in the fall of this year lie 
went into partnership with his brother, J. H. Patton. He 
joined the Confederate army January 2, 1862. He sur- 
rendered at Vicksburg, Miss., and was paroled. After 
his return from the war, he resumed business with his 
brother, J. H. Patton, and continued as his partner until 
1880. On November 21, 1867, he was married to Julia A. 
Holston. She was born November 26, 1839, and died No- 
vember 6, 1880. They had two children. Margaret Cun- 
ningham, born in Sweetwater 22nd of December, 1868, 
and died in Atlanta, Ga., on August 18, 1887. 

(2) Ethel May. She was born July 27, 1875, in Sweet- 
water. Her residence is Weatherford, Texas. Married 
W. H. Arnett. 



142 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Wiley Patton was married the second time to Mrs. Sal- 
lie P. M. Taylor on the 1st day of February, 1887. She 
was born in Williamson County, Tenn., in 1852. He died 
at San Antonio, Texas, in 1915. 

(8) Thomas Wilkerson Patton was the youngest of 
the children. He w^as born m 1838 or 1839. I went to 
the same school he did in the old log schoolhouse near 
the town of Sweetwater in 1856. There was so much ex- 
citement in the presidential political race that year that 
the scholars in the school, male and female, used to di- 
vide off in their games according to politics, the Whigs 
against the Democrats. Tom Patton was the largest 
scholar amongst the Whigs and Eagleton Ramsey the 
oldest of the Democrats. There was much rivalry, but 
so far as I remember, it was all good humored. 

Wiley Patton says that he (Thomas) joined the Con- 
federate army and was either killed or died during the 
war. He (Wiley P.), wrote me that he did not know his 
(Tom P.'s) history. He was not with him during the 
war. 

The Cunnyngham-Pickels. 

In the old family Bible of Jonathan Pickel he states 
that his parents were Christian Pickel and Katherine 
Pickel, formerly Pophanberg, and that they came from 
Germany. Entries are found showing that: Jonathan 
Pickel was born February 5, 1790, He died on Septem- 
ber 20, 1854. His wife Betsy Cunnyngham was born 
March 17, 1796, and died July 12, 1877. The date of 
their marriage I think is not stated. It probably oc- 
curred in 1819. They are buried in the cemetery at 
County Line. They were the parents of nine children: 

One'. Rufus M., b. July 10, 1820; d. April 23, 1878. 

Second. James Harvev, b. April 10, 1822 ; d. April 28, 
1895. 

Third. Jno. H., b. August 2, 1824; d. 

Fourth. Hugh Cunn^mgham, b. October 28, 1826; 
d. 

Fifth. Jane Cunnyngham, b. September 3, 1828. 

Sixth. Jj. Mitchell", b. August 30, 1830. L. M. P. m. 
Nancy Lowry, daughter of James L. on Eastanallee. 
They went first to Missouri, then to Boulder, Col. Both 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 143 

dead. Children: Robert, Emma, Emmett, Carrie and 
Jane. Live at Boulder. 

Seventh. Margaret S., b. November 23, 1832 ; m. H. B. 
Pennington, whom see. 

Eighth. Sara M., b. August 8, 1836. 

Ninth. Samuel Wilkerson, b. August 13, 1838. 



One. Eufus M. Pickel was married to Emmeline Lot- 
speich, July 5, 1839. Rev. Ira Falls, officiating. She 
was born February 4, 1821, in Green County, Tenn. 
They moved first to Henry County, Mo. Afterwards 
they settled near Ottumwa, la. 

He was a merchant and a farmer. He was a member 
of Board of Prisons for Henry County, Mo. He was 
collector of internal revenue from 1862-1867. 

In 1871 or 1872 he moved to Ottumwa, la., and died 
there April 23, 1878. He died of dropsy. They were the 
parents of eleven children, only three of whom are now 
(1913) living. Tliey are: 

(1) Hugh Marion Pickel, b. December 23, 1841. Re- 
sides at Des Moines, Iowa. 

(2) Maria Sophia Pickel, b. July 1, 1857. She mar- 
ried Jacob Pickle on . Their Post-office is 

Davenport, Washington. 

(3) Emma Etter Pickel, b. November 25, 1858. She 
married Thos. H. Pickel. They reside at Ottumwa, la. 



Second. James Harvey P. was married to Mary Jane 
Crump Browder, daughter of William and Elizabeth 
Browder on September 11, 1845. She was born May 17, 
1827, and died April 25, 1872. 

'■ He was a farmer and resided three and a half miles 
Hvest of Sweetwater. He met with an accident while 
iplowing in the field. This accident caused internal in- 
(juries from which he died April 28, 1895. Although 73 
years old at the time of his death he was very vigorous, 
and in the natural course of events he bade fair to live 
many years. He possessed in a large degree the Cun- 
nyngham strenuousness of opinion, the Pickel industry 



144 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

'and in his home, the Browder hospitality. He especial- 
iy resented being dictated to. He was a zealous worker 
in the Methodist church and the Masonic Lodge. He 
understood music well and enjoyed conducting singing 
at the church and camp meeting. He preferred the 
square note system of where each note in the octave was 
represented by a different shaped character. The pitch 
/was regulated by a tuning fork. He did not look with 
favor on instrumental music in church. Being a man 
of a large family and a good citizen he took great in- 
terest in schools, and the cause of education generally. 

He was a Union man during the Civil War and was 
a deputy marshal under Captain S. P. Evans in 1865. 
Although an efficient officer, there was no complaint 
made that he used his office unkindly, or subjected 
those arrested to indignities. In most cases he read 
the warrant to the party and told him to report at Knox- 
ville. These were political not whiskey cases. 

The children of J. H. and Sarah Pickel were eight in 
number. Their names were: 

1. William Wilkerson. 

2. Jonathan Asbury. 

3. James Mitchell. 

4. Elizabeth Ann. 

5. Samuel Jefferson. 

6. Sarah Jane. 

7. Hester Ella. 

8. Ada Baxter. 

1. William W. was born September 5, 1846, and died 
^August 15, 1913. He attended school at the Union Insti- 
tute, now Baptist College, under Professors Ragsdale, 
Leyburn and MuUer. 

When a young man he learned the tinner's trade un- 
der Matt Carter at Sweetwater, and was with him until 
Mr. Carter's death. Working at his trade when a young 
hnan he got a fall from which he lay unconscious for sev- 
eral weeks and it was thought he would not recover, but 
a fine constitution brought him through. His death re- 
'sulted from a fall of like nature. He never hesitated to 
go where his work called him and sometimes took 
chances which he should not have taken. He lost as 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 145 

few days from work in liis business as any man that 
ever lived in Sweetwater. The taking of a holiday was 
^almost unknown to him. 

Althoug'h Wilkerson, his middle name, which ran 
^through the Cunnjaighams, the Pattons, the Goddards 
and the Pickels was a Methodist name, W. W. joined 
the Presbyterian Church in 1876 and was a faithful 
hnember. (Thos. Wilkerson was a noted Methodist 
preacher in Sender County in early times. }- 

William Pickel resided all his life in the First Civil 
district of Monroe County, and since about 1870 until 
his death in the town of Sweetwater. He was at the 
'time of his death the oldest resident of the First Civil 
District, having lived in it all of his life 67 years. 
■ On April 24, 1878, he was married to Nancy Ann Cook, 
daughter of Adolphus M. Cook. She was born March 
15, 1857. She still (1915) resides in Sweetwater. Their 
children were ten, viz: 

(1) Frances Elizabeth, b. February 10, 1879. She 
married Robt. W. Johnston, June 28, 1911. He lives ort 
iFork Creek. He is the son of Jno. H. and Sarah Gaines 
Johnston. 

(2) Maude Ella, b. October 9, 1881. 

' (3) James Adolphus Pickel, b. January 21, 1883. He 
was married to Miss Annie Reece, October 12, 1910. They 
have one son, James Reece Pickel, b. 

(4) Chas. Bates Pickel, b. February 10, 1885. 

(5) Dora Pearl, b. February 5, 1887. She was mar- 
Tied to Chas. N. Hulvey, June 8, 1909. Their children 
are: Frances Elizabeth (Dec.) Chas. Newton, Jr., b. 
. Col. Chas. N. Hulvey is president of T. M. In- 
stitute (1915). 

(6) William Hugh, b. March 2, 1889. 

(7) Mary Alice, b. July 23, 1891, d. October 22, 1893, 

(8) Robt. Lvmi, b. February 28, 1894. 

(9) Nellie Mav, b. February 8, 1897. 

(10) Nancy Louise, b. August 28, 1900. 

2. Jonathan Asbury Pickel, second son of J. H. Pickel, 
was born July 22, 1848 ; d. August 16, 1900. He married 
Sallie A. Thompson, Mav 26, 1875, who was born in 
Franklin County, Va., April 15, 1852. Died June 3, 1907. 
Both are interred in Westview cemeterv. Thev moved 



146 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

to Pilot Point, Texas, in August, 1881, and spent several 
years here, returning to Sweetwater, and lived here un- 
til their death. John, as he was usually called, took a 
great pride in raising fruit, vegetables and melons. 
When he was a boy thirteen or fourteen years old, in try- 
ing to protect his melon patch from Federal soldiers, he 
was shot through the body and came near dying from 
the wound. His pluck and determination to get well 
were all that saved him. After this occurrence no one 
ever again tried to steal his watermelons. 

The children of Jonathan and Sallie Pickel are: 

(1) Emma B., b. November 30, 1876, at Sweetwater, 
Tenn. Married Wm. Moser in November, 1899. They 
live in Chattanooga, Tenn. 

(2) Berta May, b. in Sweetwater, Januarv 20, 1879. 
Died at Pilot Point, Texas, September 12, 1881. 

(3) James Samuel, b. September 25, 1882. 

(4) Janey Lee, b. at Sweetwater, Tenn., October 26, 
1886. She was married to B. A. Boone, October 26, 1911. 
Residence, Chattanooga. 

(5) Edith Lillian, b. November 25, 1888, at Sweet- 
water, Tenn. 

3. James Mitchell Pickel. He was born November 17, 

1850. He went to Pilot Point, Texas in . Married 

Nannie E. Murray at that place. May 16, 1888. He is a 
merchant. 

4. Elizabeth Anne was born January 6, 1853. She 
married Robert H. Locke, of Meigs County, September 
4, 1879. Died March , 1909. 

5. Sarah Jane, b. March 16, 1857. 

6. Samuel Jeiferson, b. April 5, 1855. Died February 
12, 1911. Married Susan, daughter of Chas. Cannon, 
. He was a merchant at Sweetwater. Chil- 
dren. Samuel J. b. , (2). 

7. Hester Ella was born August 31, 1859. She mar- 
ried Hon. Frank P. Dickey December 20, 1883. She 

died . Dickey was a farmer in Pond Creek 

Valley. He and his wife were members of the M. E. 
Church, South. Dickey married a second time, Martha 
Washington Suddarth, of Harriman, November 20, 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 147 

1907. One son, Franklin Pierce, was born to them No- 
vember 4, 1908. They live at Harriman, Tenn. 

8. Ada Baxter was born November 16, 1861. Married 
Frank L. Harmon of Germantown, Ky., on February 
21, 1883. Their children are : Ethel, George, May and 
Ralph. 

John Fine. 

From inscriptions on tomb stones we find that John 
Fine was born January 1, 1781, and died January 26, 
1857. His wife, Nancy was born November 10, 1782, and 
died February 18, 1859; both arriving at the advanced 
age of more than 76 years. 

It is very probable that they came here from Cocke 
County ; they at least were originally from there. They 
came to this valley as soon as the Hiwassee District was 
open for settlement. The church records of Baptist 
Church on Sweetwater, show that they both helped to 
organize on Fork Creek what was afterward called the 
Baptist Church on Sweetwater, on the first Saturday in 
June, 1820. As has been stated heretofore this valley 
was not open to settlement till that year. The records 
also show that before the building of this meeting house 
the members met at the residence of John Fine on the 
first Saturday in August, 1821. It was the house above 
the springs where the city waterworks now get their 
supply. He paid for his land and obtained a grant. No. 
686, from the State, dated September 7, 1827, and de- 
scribed as being the southwest quarter of section 34, 
township 2, range 1, east of the basis line. It corners in 
the road leading west to Pond Creek at the northwest 
corner of Mrs. Love's property. It runs thence south 
one-half mile (160 rods) and the same distance west, 
north and east to the beginning. The part on which the 
old house now (1914) stands is owned by the Charles 
Cannon heirs. Tlie present Fair Ground is also on the 
tract. 

In the days of the stage line the Fine house was a stage 
stand and stopping place. The stage road from Phila- 
delphia to Athens went by there, the location of which 
was never much changed until the year 1913. Also the 
road from Madisonville west to Pond Creek Valley ran 
by there, leading almost straight from the Ramsey 



148 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

(Waren) lane through the woods to the creek crossing 
near the house. The road from the McCroskey neigh- 
borhood on Fork Creek to the west took a turn at the 
Heiskell lane, led by the house and thence to Pond 
Creek. Thus from its natural location and the good ac- 
commodations obtained there by travelers, it was a well 
known stopping place. John Fine and his wife had been 
married and had a considerable family, when they came 
to Sweetwater Valley. They were in the prime and vigor 
of life, possessed of property and intelligence and con- 
sequently were an influential family. I have not found 
out the maiden name of Mrs. Fine. Mr. Fine was evi- 
dently interested in the cause of education, as the school- 
house was located one-fourth of a mile south of his house 
on his land. This schoolhouse was built some time pre- 
vious to 1834; for early in that year Baptist meetings 
are recorded to have been held in the Fine schoolhouse. 
The branch church here had authority to receive mem- 
bers for the old Sweetwater church. In the settlement 
of church difficulties and misunderstandings between 
neighbors John Fine was often called on to arbitrate. 
His fairness and sense of justice must have been gen- 
erally^ recognized. His name sometimes occurs in he 
Circuit Court records on the jury lists. It was custom- 
ary in the forties to summon men of the highest char- 
acter and intelligence for that service. To be a juryman 
was then a badge of honor and it was not considered 
good citizenship to try to get relieved without some 
valid excuse. 

There was until some years ago a Fine family burying 
ground, in which thirteen of the family were interred. 
This was situated on a hill north of the house. It was 
enclosed with a stone w^all. The bodies there were re- 
moved and re-interred in West View Cemetery. 

The children of Jno. and Nancy Fine were : John, 
Polly, Abraham, Sarah, Mahala, Minerva, Martha, and 
Nancy. 

One. John, date of birth not known. He may or may 
not have l^een the oldest child. He enlisted in the Mexi- 
can war, fought through it, and on his return from Mexi- 
co took sick on board of a ship in the Gulf. He died and 
his body was consigned to the waves. This was probably 
in the vear 1847, but the date is not known. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 149 

Two. Polly was boiii NovMnbor 25, 180:5. Died Jan- 
uary 29, 1857. (UnmarrifHl). 

Throo. Abraham, married Mary S. PTaralsoii July 3, 
18o8. Thoy movfsd to Missouri. IJistorv not known. 

Foui-. Sarali was born Novcmbor 29, 1809. DicA De- 
cember 25, 1870. She was married to Dr. Ira L. Hill, on 
April 5, 1832, He was born November 18, 1804. He 
died July .31, 1843. lie lived in Sevier County. He was 
a physieiaii. Their ehildren wei-(;: 

1. Mary M., I), in 1834. She died in Brownsville, Neb., 
in October, 1884. She married Jos. Marshall Owen, Au- 
^-ust 28, 1849. (See history of Owen family). 

2. John was boi-n in Seviei- County, July 15, 1838. He 
moved to Sweetwatf^r with his mother in the year, 1844 
— not long after the. death of Dr. Hill. She lived near the 
Fine residenee on the hill above the spring. Ih' married 
Isabelle Hotehkiss, d-'iughter of Claiborne Hotehkiss, on 
January 17, 1871. They resided in Loudon County. He 
was a farmer. Isabella Hotehkiss was born in Roane 
(now Loudon County) April 1G, 1848. She died Jan- 
uary 8, 1902. John liill died November 1, 1889, in Lou- 
don County, and was bur-ied in the New Providence 
graveyard. 

They were th(! parents of eight ehildr-en: Four girls 
and four boys: 

(1 ) Sallie Abbott, age 43, Mineral Wells, Texas. 

(2) C. H. Hill, age 41, Loudon, Tenn. 

(3) Jno. W. Hill (age not given). Died in Texas. 

(4) T. W. Hill, age 35, Loudon, Tenn. 

(5) Mary Brazeal, died at the age of 32, in London, 
Tenn. 

((>) Ella Smith, age 28, Lenoir City. 
(7) Sam Hill, age 25, Chattanooga. 

This information was gotten from one of the family, 
I think C. H. Hill, in 1914. And the ages given refer to 
that date. He only sj)eaks of thre(* girls, Sallie, Mary 
and Ella, in listing the names. 

3. Oliver Hazard Perrv Hill was f>oin in Sevier Coun- 
ty July 15, 1840. During the Civil War, in 1861, he en- 
listed . Capt. Jno. A. Rowans, do. of 43)d licir., C. 

8. A. He was wounded at Chickamauga, on September 



150 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

21, 1863. The lower portion of one arm was amputated 
and he was disabled from further service. On Novem- 
ber 7, 1867, he married Mary Carter, daughter of Jno. 
Carter. She was one of 25 children,. They settled near 
Lenoirs, Tenn. He was a farmer. He died March 23, 
1911. She died , (1914). They left children as fol- 
lows : 

(1) Sarah Fine, b. December 13, 1868. Married Jno. 
Heffner of Lenoir City . 

(2) Ira Lee, b. November 10, 1870. Married Kate 
Miller , 1897. 

(3) John W., b. October 15, 1872. Died October 11, 
1889. 

(4) Ambrose Parnell, b. August 15, 1874. St. Paul, 
Minn., is his address. 

(5) Nancv Lucinda, b. April 1, 1877. Died in 1878. 

(6) Martha E., b. June 8, 1879. Married Geo. O'Neal 
of Lenoir City, February 20, 1891. Their children are 
Levi, Paul, Cecil and Agnes. 

(7) Marion M., b. September 17, 1883. 



1, 2 and 3 of the Hill children, Mary, John and Perry, 
were all born in Sevier County, as to Ira, the fourth 
child, probably in Sw^eetwater Valley in 1844. He went 
to Minneapolis, Minn., after the Civil "War and died 
there, not many years since. Not known to me whether 
he had a family or not. Mrs. Hill was married a second 
time to Welcome Beard, on December 29, 1859. 



Five. Mahala was born February 18, 1814. She was 

married to N. G. Walker of Mo. . She died at 

the Fine residence while on a visit there on Februarv 
8, 1859. 

Six. Minerva, b. — . She married Jabin Snow Tay- 
lor of Pond Creek Valley, and brother of Elica A. Tay- 
lor on March 9, 1848. He was born in Grainger County, 
Tennessee, August 10, 1823. He died February 22, 1857. 

Seven. Martha was born in 1828. She married J. C. 
Starrett on May 7, 1861. She died February 19, 1889. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 151 

He was born in Bradley Comity (date not given) and 
died September 14, 1874. Their children were: 

1. Jno Starrett, b. October 27, 1864. Married Emma 
Boggs September 25, 1889, of Lenoir City. No children. 
He was married a second time. By this second mar- 
riage there were three children, Katharine Louis, in 
1911, eight years old; Randall McKnight, in 1911, six 
years old ; infant son, Jno. M., in 1911, three months old. 
Second child of J. C. and Martha Starrett, was Flor- 
ence. She was born on October 12, 1868. She married 
Dr. J. T. Tillery, of Ebenezer, Knox County, on August 
24; 1890. They" had one son, Duncan E. Tillery. 

Eight. Nancy E. Fine, b. October 15, 1836. Died April 
9, 1857. From the time John Fine came to this country 
and built the old log house which now stands at the loca- 
tion mentioned, there were no deaths at that residence 
for about 37 years, although there was a large family. 
But from January to April, there were four deaths in 
1857, viz: Jno. Fine, January 26, 1857; Polly, d. Jan- 
uary 29, 1857 ; Jabin Snow Taylor, d. February 22, 1857 ; 
Nancy, d. April 9, 1857. 

The disease which took them off was called pneumonia, 
but it occurs to me, or rather seems strange, that a 
whole family should have pneumonia, as I have never 
heard that it was a contagious or infectious disease. 1 
believe that all of the family were attacked by some 
other disease and these four cases proved fatal. Now 
all the sons and daughters of Jno. Fine that were mar- 
ried in this country the Rev. Robt. Snead otficiated at 
the ceremony with the exception of Martha, who married 
Starrett. She was married by Hughes W. Taylor, a 
brother of her brother-in-law, Jabin Taylor. None of 
the Fines or their descendants ever belonged to any 
other church, than the Baptist except Mrs. Starrett who 
joined the Presbyterian Church, with her husband after 
marriage. 

Austin Fry 

Was born in Monroe County and died at Sweetwater, 
at an advanced age, in January. 1880. He married 
Jane Brandon in 1833. He moved to McMinn Coun- 
ty, near Reagan Station .in 1839, and then to near 



152 HISTOKl" OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

the head of Conesauga Creek, in the 19th civil district. 
Not long after the Civil War he came to Sweetwater. 
He was the first recorder of the town after it was incor- 
porated. He was buried in the old cemetery at Sweet- 
water. His children were : 

1. Hugh, b. January 9, 1834; d. 1895. He was a me- 
chanic and contractor, and was the editor and publisher 
of the first paper published in Sweetwater, called the 
*' Sweetwater Forerunner." The first number of this 
paper was published September 21, 1867. He was mar- 
ried on November 8, 1855. Wife's name not known to 
me. 

2. Sirena, b. 1835 ; 3. Kennedy, b. 1839 ; 5. Charlie, b. 
February 29, 1844; 6. Mary, b. August 6, 1846; 7. John, 
b. March 9, 1848. Married Sarah C. Young on Septem- 
ber 12, 1881; 8. Emma, b. August 4, 1850; 9. Nancy, b. 
March 1857. Married — Rose. Address, Spring City, 
Tenn, 

4. William, b. about 1842. He married Mary Caro- 
line Orr on September 2, 1869. She was born August 28, 
1848. He lives at Athens, Tenn. He is a mechanic. 
Their children are: 1. Minnie Laura, b. October, 1871; 
d. September 22, 1872 ; 2. Marv Etta, b. September 24, 
1873 ; married H. A. McCambell, February 18, 1897 ; 3. 
Henry Mitten, b. April 6, 1876 ; d. January 19, 1877 ; 4. 
Willie Lee, b. March 27, 1878; married Agnes Under- 
wood, of Legrande, Ala., in 1904; 5. Charles Austin, b. 
April 23, 1880 ; d. Februarv 18, 1901 ; 6. Anna Lou, b. 
June 25, 1882; married Thos. Tidwell, of Dalton, Ga., 
September 15, 1909. Residence, Bonifay, Ga. 

Henry Glaze 

Came to Sweetwater Valley in 1824 from Washington 
County, Tennessee. In crossing the Tennessee River at 
Blair's Ferry, the ferry boat sank and his household 
goods were lost, together wdth his family Bible. It is 
therefore difficult to give exact dates as to himself and 
wife. His wife's name was Susan Wilhoite. He settled 
near Reagan's Station on a quarter section of land. Of 
that and two hundred and forty acres more, his descend- 
ants still hold possession. Tlie Glazes have been and are 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 153 

excellent citizens, quiet and unassuming ; their names do 
not figure in courts either as criminals or litigants. 

Henry and Susan Glaze were the parents of ten chil- 
dren : 

One. Anna, Married Wm. Gate, brother of Elijah 
Gate. They moved to Gleveland, Tenn. 

Two. Jefferson, b. May 1820 ; d. July 11, 1910. 

Three. Lucinda, married Henry Martin and moved to 
Texas. 

Four. Henry, married Miss Martin and moved to 
Texas. 

Five. Emmaline, married Dr. Grow of Athens, Tenn. 

Six. Lizzie, married Jos. Neil, the brother of Wm. and 
Sterling Neil. Neil's wife died. He married again and 
now resides at Niota, Tenn. He was born February 20, 
1828. Their children were : 

1. James Polk, married Mollie Garrison. 

2. John, married Miranda Rockwell. 

3. Melvin, married Angelina Moore. 

4. Laura, married Isaac Orr. 

5. Sallie, married Noah Lybarger. 

Seven. William, d. in infancy. 

Eight. John, married Kirkpatrick and went to Gleve- 
land, Tenn. 

Nine. Ben, b. November 22, 1830 ; d. January 4, 1902. 
Married Lucy Reynolds of Ghestua on August 20, 1856. 
She was born September 9, 1831; d. January 12, 1902. 
They had six children: 

1. Marion" J., h. September 7, 1857. 

2. Mary, b. August 5, 1859. 

3. James Henry, b. January 21, 1862. Tliese three 
live on the Ben Glaze place and are unmarried. 

Horace, Mattie and Hattie died in infancy. 

Ten. Mary, married George Wilson, brother of Dot 
Wilson. He served in the Confederate army and died 
during the war. 

Jefferson, second child of Henry Glaze, was married, 
iirst, to Miss Duggan. The children of first wife : 



154 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

1. John, L., b. October 1, 1853; d. at Chattanooga 
about 1905 or 1906. He w^as married to Sarah J. God- 
dard, daughter of ''Unc" Hugh Goddard, July 11, 1878. 
Their children were : Hugh, d. n 1896 ; Carter, Eugene 
and Ben. 

2. Julia Miranda, married Homer Thompson, son of 
W. H. Thompson. They had one child. Homer Thomp- 
son died and she was married then to Wm. Malone. The 
second wife of Jefferson Glaze was Martha Jackson, 
whom he married October 32, 1865. She died Septem- 
ber 17, 1902. Their children were : 

1. Henry, b. November 16, 1866. He went to Kansas 
and was married there to June Orr, granddaughter of 
Wesley Orr. 

2. Lura, b. July 17, 1870. She married December 12,. 
1905, Rev. D. M. Kerr of Greenback, Tenn. There was 
one daughter, born in 1907. 

3. Horace, b. Mav 28, 1872. Married Edith Kratzer 
November 18, 1902." She was born August, 1880. They 
live on the farm adjoining James A. Reagan. 

4. Grant, b. February 14, 1874. He married Mina 
Kratzer, who was born March 7, 1882. They were mar- 
ried September 28, 1904. Have one son, Carl Dean, born 
November 5, 1913, 

5. Ella, b. September 22, 1876, d. June 20, 1896. 

Thornton Goddard 

Married Polly Cmmyngham in Knox County, Tenn., 
on Februarv 3, 1817. Their children were: 

One. "William, H., b. December 17, 1817. 

Two. Hugh, b. Mav 13, 1819 ; d. April 19, 1873. 

Three. Elizabeth C., b. April 2, 1831;. d. January 10, 
1855 

Four. Jane M., b. April 3, 1823 ; d. August 4, 1859. 

Five. John William, b. 13, 1825 ; d. October 5, 1896. 

Six. Robert Avis, b. Februarv 25, 1828 ; d. Mav 27, 
1830. 

Seven. Marv Ann, b. February 13, 1830 ; d. April 30, 
1901. 

Eight. Alvin, b. May 13, 1832; d. July 23, 1854. 

Nine. Marcus Bearden, b. June 4, 1834; d. March, 
1910. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 155 

Ten. Harriet Campbell, b. February 9, 1839; d. Jan- 
uary 10, 1855. 

One. William H. Goddard moved to Missouri. He 
died at Versailles, Morgan Comity, Mo. — His son, 
John J., lives at Clinton, Henry County, Mo. 

Two. Hugh Goddard. There were several Hugh God- 
dards. This son, I think, first married Isabella Wilson, 
date not known. He afterwards married the widow 
Taylor, formerly Marv Ann Weathers, on August 5, 
1857. 

Three. Elizabeth, C, married W. F. Lenoir, whom see. 

Four. Jane M., married George McCulley who lived 
near Charleston, Tenn. 

Five. John W., married Margaret Bogart, daughter 
of Solomon Bogart, on December 23, 1852. He was a sol- 
dier in the Mexican war. In 1853 he w^as a partner in the 
mercantile business with his brother-in-law, W. F. Le- 
noir, at Philadelphia, Tenn. In 1854 he moved to Sweet- 
water and became a partner of J, H. Patton, under the 
firm name of Patton and Goddard. He was a first cousin 
of J. H. Patton. After the Civil War he did business 
with A. M. Dobbins as a partner, under the firm name 
of J. W. Goddard & Co. 

He died at Dancing Branch, on a farm in the 6th Civil 
District of Monroe County. The children of J. W. and 
Margaret Bogart Goddard were : 

1. Betty Cornelia, b. October 8, 1853. (See Mayes). 

2._ Susan Addie, b. June 4, 1857. On DecemlDer 25, 
1879, she was married to Joseph H. Dickey, who was the 
son of Samuel H. and Sarah Wright Dickey, formerly 
of Madisonville, Tenn. Joseph H. was born at Rhea 
Springs, Tenn., August 12, 1855. He came to Sweet- 
water January 1, 1874. Was in the employ of D. B. Chil- 
dress for five years. He moved to Fort Worth, Texas, 
June 1, 1883, where he still resides. Their children are: 

(1) Joe Hubert, b. in Sweetwater Vallev, March 11, 
1882 ; m. Rose M. Hardin of Fort Worth, November 12, 
1902. Thev have two children, J. Hubert and Margaret. 

(2) Nellie, b. at Fort Worth, January 8, 1889. She is 
unmarried. She lives with her parents and is a teacher 
of kindergarten. 

(3) Anna Eva, the third child of J. W. and Margeret 



156 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Goddard, b. June 23, 1861. She married T. A. Frierson, 
of Chattanooga, October 23, 1884. She died — . They 
were the parents of four children whose names I do not 
know. 

(4) John Newton, son of J. W. and Margeret God- 
dard, b. January 30, 1867. He married Mary Nicholson, 
of Atlanta. He is a broker with offices in the Equitable 
Building, Atlanta, Ga. 

Seven. Mary Ann, daughter of T. C. and Polly God- 
dard, was married (first) to Solomon L. Stowe of Mc- 
Minn Comity, in 1840. He died at Ellijay, Ga. Is buried 
there. Tlieir children were : 

1. Julia, b. October 26, 1847 ; 2. Florence, b. 1849 ; 3. 
Doss, b. 1851 ; 4. Frank, b. 1853. All of these dates, ex- 
cept Julia's, are approximated. Julia married A. Q. 
Orr on September 1, 1880. His first wife was a daughter 
of Hugh Goddard. She died June 12, 1880. Their chil- 
dren were : Hugh, b. March 1866 ; Florence, b. January 
27, 1868 ; Mav, b. June 10, 1870, and Ida, b. November 25, 
1872. 

A. Q. Orr was the son of John W. Orr who came 
to this country from Virginia when a boy. His father 
entered land at the head of Sweetwater Creek. The chil- 
dren of A. Q. Orr and Julia, his second wife, were : Berta 
Leith, b. August 1, 1882; Dawson, b. February 28, 1884, 
and Irene, b. November 18, 1885. A. Q. Orr died at Chat- 
tanooga. Mrs. Julia Stowe Orr died at the residence of 
her daughter, Mrs. R. E. McLean, Longview, Texas, No- 
vember 15, 1914. The other daughters, who are all mar- 
ried, reside in Texas. They are Mrs. H. B. Zigler, Hous- 
ton, Texas. Mrs. F. C. Engall, Cooper, Texas; Mrs. A. 
J. Robinson, Houston, Texas, and Mrs. C. F. Windall, 
Long\aew, Texas. I cannot state which girls married 
these persons. 

2. Florence Stowe, married J. W. D. Williams. Whom 
see. 

3. Doss Stowe married Artie Hutsell. Their children 
were Harvey, Doss and Harry. 

4. W. Frank m. Lucy Mattox, of Bristol, Tenn. Their 
children were : Pauline, Fred, Raymond and Beatrice. 
Do not know their residence or history. 

Mary Ann Goddard Stowe was married (second) to 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 157 

Arcliibald M. Dobbins on March 17, 1861. He was born 
in Knox County, May 30, 1831. He came to Sweetwater 
in 1856. He was first in the carriage business with 
AVm. McClung. Later he was a partner of his brother- 
in-law, Jno. W. Goddard, in the mercantile business in 
1869. He moved to Knoxville in 1874. He now lives 
with his son-in-law, C. H. Gardner, who is a traveling 
man residing at 1213 West Landvale St., Baltimore, 
Md. The children of Mary Ann and A. M. Dobbins were : 
1. Lula, m. James T. Cater; 2. Margaret, m. C. T. 
McClung; 3. Barbara, m. W. H. Lennon; 4. Henry, m. 
Mabel Willy; 5. Nina (first), m. — Fuller; second, m. 
G. H. Gardner ; 6. Charles Henry. 

Nine. Marcus Bearden Goddard married Clementine 
Amanda Hutsell on August 5, 1858. She was born Decem- 
ber 15, 1839, the fifth child of Andrew Hutsell, b. Jan- 
uary 2, 1805, and Polly Earheart, b. July 14, 1814. They 
resided near County Line and at Sweetwater until the 
year 1887, when they moved to Steptoe, Wash. Their 
children are : 

1. Andrew Floyd, b. July 15, 1859; married Hattie 
Finlej^ of Meigs County. Their children were Mary 
Cray, b. January, 1892 ; Andrew, b. June, 1894, and Doro- 
thy. Andrew Floj^d is a farmer living at Rosalia, Wash. 

2. Hattie Goddard married Finle^^ He is a farmer 
and lives at Rosalia, Wash. 

3. Mary Ellen, b. October 23, 1860 ; married J. W. Ray- 
mond November, 1892. They have one son, George, b. 
May, 1894. Mr. Raymond is a grain dealer. Address, 
Elm Flats, Spokane, Wash. 

4. Robert Henry, b. April 2, 1863, unmarried. He is 
Claim Agent for the Northern Pacific Railroad and lives 
at Missoula, Mont. 

5. Grace Ophelia, b. December 20, 1864, married John 
B. Finley, of Meigs County, March 4, 1891. Their chil- 
dren are: Rex Goddard, b. December, 1891, and Isaac 
Raymond, b. March, 1894. The}^ own the Finley Islands, 
in the Tennessee River, near Decatur, Ala., which is their 
address. 

6. Charles Avis, b. October 1, 1866; d. July 26, 1890. 

7. Hutsell married Miss Mustard in Dayton, Wash. 



158 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAUliEY 

They had two sons, one of whom, Charles was killed on 
a railroad and another born August, 1897. 

8. Artie Isabella, youngest child of Marcus and Cle- 
mentine Goddard, b. April 16, 1876. She married Cal F. 
Godfrey, capitalist, Roseland, 111. Their children are: 
Maurine and John ; the latter born January, 1908. 

Ten. Harriet Goddard, the youngest child of Thornton 
C. and Polly Goddard, married LaFayette Osborne and, 
I think, moved to Missouri. 

Few Hall Gregory, M. D. 

Was born in Culpeper County, Va., October 4y 1781. 
He came to Philadelphia, Monroe County, Tenn., in 1820. • 
He died August 18, 1872 in Sweetwater Valley at his 
home. 

He married Martha Lynn Reynolds, June 1, 1841. She 
was the daughter of James Reynolds of Philadelphia. 
She was a member of the Baptist Church on Sweetwater. 
She died on February 2, 1884, in Marion County, Florida, 
on Lake Gregorj^ 

Dr. Gregory enlisted in the war of 1812 from Virginia. 
He studied medicine in Petersburg, Va., Philadelphia, 
Penn. For 30 years he practised medicine and farmed. 
He was a legislator from Monroe County in 1839. He 
was a commissioned colonel of the State militia. He was 
called upon to act as Brig. Gen. Vol., in the Mexican war, 
but declined on account of his wife's health. 

He was a member of the Methodist Church, South, at 
Bat Creek (Hiwassee College). He owned a large 
amount of land. The Eli Cleveland, Jr., place, and the 
H. E. Martin place. He was a wealthy man for his day 
and time. 

Children of F. H. and M. L. Gregory were : 

1. Susanna Virginia, b. May 13, 1842. P. 0. 1913, 
Nashville. 

2. Jas. Few, b. January 27, 1844 ; d. April 30, 1897 at 
Citra, Fla. Married to Georgia Dallas January 19, 
1876. 

3. Mary Elizabeth, b. February 1, 1846. Married to 
Daniel J. Fogg, January 19, 1885 at Lake Gregory. P. 
O. Belleview, Marion County, Fla. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 159 

4. William Richard, b. 1848. Died November, 1870, 
at Ocala, Fla, 

5. Geo. Washington, b. Januarv 12, 1851 ; d. February 
3, 1855. 

6. Martha Georgiana, b. January 17, 1857; d. in in- 
fancy. 

7. Ann Eliza, b. October 15, 1858 ; d. an infant. 

8. Cora Francis, b. January 1, 1861; d. December, 
1887, at Livyville Fla. She married Wm. Brown Jan- 
uary 1, 1885. 

Jas. Few Gregory was a student at Hiwassee College 
when the Civil War began and enlisted from there in 
1861, C. S. A. Daughters of James F. G. : Lula Lynn, b. 
October 26, 1876. P. 0. (presumably) Citra, Fla.; 
George Dallas, b. February 21, 1878. 

Children of James and Susanna Hilton. Thej^ were 
married in 1866. 

(1) Robt. Reynolds H., b. April 25, 1868. Now in Colo- 
rado. 

(2) Geo. Gregory, b. September 18, 1870. (Dead.) 

(3) Wm. Andrew H., b. June 5, 1873. P. 0., Nash- 
ville. 

These children were all born in Sweetwater Valley. 
Above information was obtained from Mary E. Fogg, 
of Belleview, Marion County, Fla. 

Daniel Heiskell, 

We often hear mention of a family as being an "old 
family." Strictly speaking, if we are derived from a 
common ancestor whether we accept the Biblical or Dar- 
winian theory, one family is just as old as another. It 
may sometimes mean one which has been for long years 
to the same manor born ; oftener I take it to mean the ma- 
jority of whose members have acted in such a manner 
as to bring credit to themselves and to the country 
where they reside. This can be of a truth said of the 
Heiskells. An interesting and instructive book could be 
written of them, but it is beyond our space and province 
to speak at any length except of those who had their 
home in our valley or moved from here to other sections- 
The historv of the Heiskells so far as is known to us 



160 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VA1.LEY 

reaches back to the time of William the Conqueror, the 
Norman who invaded England and overcame King Har- 
old of the Danish dynasty in the 11th century. After the 
battle of Hastings, which was fought in Sussex on the 
14th day of October, 1066, William proceeded to parti- 
tion out the island to his principal followers, or reward 
them in other ways and started new orders of dukes, 
lords, earls, barons, knights, et cet. Rouget Heiskell, 
rather a Frenehy kind of a name for a Heiskell, was a 
knight under that monarch, what we might term now a 
'' soldier of fortune." He had a coat of arms which he 
was entitled to, being a knight. It is related that, dur- 
ing the hard fought and uncertain battle of Hastings, 
which raged incessantly from morning till evening, Wil- 
liam complained much of thirst. There was an apple 
tree loaded with apples on the hill of Senlac within Har- 
old's, the enemy's lines. Observing this Rouget true to 
the Heiskell motto, ''Dread Shame; Love Loyalty," 
dashed through the lines and gathering the fruit in his 
helmet returned to William and relieved his suffering. 
For this act of valor he was allowed to add an apple 
tree to the crest of the coat of arms with the word ' ' f ruc- 
tus" (Latin for fruit) engraved thereon. It is a tradi- 
tion also that when William ate the apples, his strength 
was renewed and Fortune from that time on favored the 
Normans. So the eating of the fruit of that difficult, if 
not forbidden, tree, did not prove as unfortunate to pos- 
terity as the event in the Garden of Eden. It may have 
been the tui'ning point in that decisive battle and settled 
the fate of the island; and wliat would England or for 
that matter our own America have been without the civil- 
izing influence of the Normans. 

Some of Rouget Heiskell 's descendants afterward 
drifted back across the channel to Holland. From Am- 
sterdam or Rotterdam, uncertain which. Christian Heis- 
kell sailed and landed on our own shores in the year 1700. 
He married Katherine Hampton, grand aunt of Wade 
Hampton of South Carolina. He or some of liis people 
lived and died at Hagerstown, Maryland, as a number of 
the Heiskells were buried in the Lutheran Churchyard, 
they being members of that church. This Christian Heis- 
kell was the father of five sons, one of whom was named 
Frederic. This Frederic was also the father of five sons, 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 161 

George, William, Frederic, Samuel and Daniel and four 
daughters. Three of these brothers, William, Frederic 
and Daniel finally came to Tennessee. The father Fred- 
eric moved to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, near 
Winchester, and died there. 

Of the Heiskells who came to this State and their de- 
scendants many were prominent and well known public 
characters. Frederic, son of the Winchester Frederic, 
was one of pioneer newspaper men of our section, being 
editor and proprietor for years of the Knoxville Regis- 
ter, and was elected to the upper house of Tennessee 
Legislature in 1846. That same year William Heiskell 
was defeated in Monroe County by Col. John Ramsey 
for a seat in the lower house, an account of which has 
been given. Frederic Heiskell had distinguished sons, 
Joseph B. Heiskell and Carrick Heiskell. Joseph was a 
member of the Confederate Congress from the first dis- 
trict of Tennessee, elected in 1861. He was afterward 
Attorney General and Reporter for the State of Ten- 
nessee. Carrick is a distinguished lawyer and a judge 
in Memphis, Tenn. He, for a long time, has been promi- 
nent and influential there. ''Ned," his son, was for a 
short time U. S. Senator from Arkansas. 

W"m. Heiskell represented Monroe County in the Leg- 
islature and was prominent in politics. His son, S. G. 
(Samuel Gahagan) has been a Legislator and several 
times Mayor of Knoxville. He is a lawyer and one of the 
best known men in the State. 

Pride of birth and inherited wealth when considered 
as a responsibility, and not as an asset to cause you to 
look down on your neighbors, is all well enough. If it is 
expected by the possessor that he be toadied to on that 
account he invites the fate of a haughty spirit. Even 
pride is not objectionable if it prevents one from doing a 
mean thing; otherwise it is contemptible. That one's 
ancestors were honored in the past is at least a satisfac- 
tion to the descendants. The Coat of Arms of the Heis- 
kell 's as mentioned above may be described as a helmet 
on a field of sable and argent between two leopards and 
surmounted by an apple tree with the word ''fructus," 
aove and underneath the shield the motto (Norman 
French) ''Craignez Houte, Aymez Loyaute." (Dread 
Shame, Love Loyalty). 



162 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Never do anything to be ashamed of and be loyal to 
your king or government. Daniel Heiskell was as far 
as any man from boasting of his ancestry. He was a 
simple citizen of the republic. He Vv^as born March 7, 
1799, probably in the Shenandoah Valley near Winches- 
ter, Virginia. Exactly when he came to the State of Ten- 
nessee is not known but likely when he was a minor. Much 
to the disappointment of the members of the family, who 
chose rather the learned professions, he determined to 
learn the tanner's trade; deeming that this was a more 
certain avenue to competency than the learned profes- 
sions. He never aspired to office as the many other 
Heiskells did. He was, however. Justice of the Peace for 
a number of years. I have heard it said that he did not 
pay strict attention to the code always if he thought jus- 
tice pointed in another direction. For example he might 
give judgment in favor of the holder of a note, though 
out of date, if he was satisfied that the note was still un- 
paid and let the courts above on appeal correct the de- 
cision. 

He married Elizabeth McBride near Greeneville, 
Tenn., on March 4, 1823, and came to the neighborhood 
of what is now Sweetwater, as one of her daughters has 
told me, when William M., the oldest child, was near a 
year old. He (William) was born May 2, 1824. This 
tract is the one on which Edgar Heiskell now resides, 
having been in the family now for ninety years. He did 
not purchase this land direct from Matthew Nelson, 
Treasurer for East Tennessee. He purchased from 
Ivobert Shaw. At the time Mr. Heiskell came to this sec- 
tion there were no saw mills except those using the up 
and down straight saw; consequently most of the houses 
first built were of hewed logs and in many instances the 
floor of puncheons. A few of these are still standing, 
one on the rise above the Sweetwater water works spring 
and another one and a half miles south of town on Mrs. 
Love's farm. 

The Heiskell tan yard was just across the creek from 
where the Woolen Mill now stands. Mr. Heiskell also 
])urchased some other tracts of land and was a success- 
ful farmer and tanner until his death, which was on July 
23, 1875. He was interred in the Heiskell burying 
ground near his residence. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 163 

As has been stated the Heiskells in Maryland belonged 
mostly to the Lutheran Church. Daniel Heiskell was an 
ardent Cumberland Presbyterian. He may have joined 
that church on account of the absence of Lutheran 
churches in our valley and that was the nearest approach 
in doctrine to the Lutheran Church. This is rendered 
more probable from the fact that one of his sons was 
named Luther Melancthon, after the two great German 
reformers. 

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church had its birth in 
the Cumberland Presbytery of Kentucky in 1810. In 
1813 three Presbyteries resolved themselves into a synod 
and revised the Westminster Confession and excluded, 
as they claimed, the doctrines of fatalism and infant 
damnation. The passages they particularly objected to 
were: Chap. III. "God from all eternity did by the 
most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and 
unchangeabl}^ ordain whatsoever comes to pass." * * * * 
"By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his 
glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto ever- 
lasting life and others foreordanied to everlasting 
death." 

"These men and angels thus predestinated and fore- 
ordained are particularly and unchangeably designed; 
and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot 
be increased or diminished." 

Rapid Increase of the Cumberland Presbyterians. 

The C. P. Church increased rapidly in this section. 
There was a church of this order and a graveyard now 
mostly overgrown with considerable sized trees one and 
a half miles north east of Sweetwater at the corner of the 
Gaut, Young and Heiskell lands. The church there was 
called Mt. Lebanon. In about 1854, after the location of 
the E. T. & Ga. R. R. depot and the beginning of the town 
it was moved as being a more convenient location to the 
Heiskell land on a part of the lot now occupied by the 
Sweetwater Woolen Mill. 

Mt. Lebanon Cumberland Presbyterian Church moved 
to Sweetwater when the Cumberland Presbyterian 
Church or, as our Baptist brethren insist, church house 
(a church being a number of organized baptized be- 



164 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

lievers, and not a house) was moved from its former lo- 
cation 1 1-2 miles northeast to the town on the Heiskell 
land, it thereafter answered several purposes. The 
schoolhouse in the bend of the creek southwest of the 
town was too small to accommodate the increasing num- 
ber of students, being only about 25 by 20 feet. The 
Cumberland Church, then the only church building in 
Sweetwater was about 35 by 30 ft. So it happened the 
first school taught in the town and the first I ever went 
to was in that building. I was between eight and nine 
years old at the time. I had been very much opposed to 
going to school because of what the school children I 
knew told me. I had come to believe that school was a 
place of confinement, punishment and torture, where the 
children spent the long sunmier day sighing for the open 
air. As they passed me trudging homeward, their talk 
was mostly of who had been whipped by the teacher 
and of who had unexpectedly managed to escape punish- 
ment. The}^ carried no books home, as the studying they 
did was at the schoolhouse during the day. I dreaded 
going to school as much as the heretics the Spanish 
Inquisition. What I knew I learned from my father by 
asking questions. Usually when I questioned my mother 
she would say, "Go ask your Pa." And once in a while 
he would say, ' ' Maybe 3'ou better ask Mr. Cotfin that, if 
you think of it, next time you see him." Therefore I 
came to believe that if Mr, James Coffin did not answer 
a question the answer was unknown or that it ought not 
to be answered. 

One summer day my father took me to the free (Pub- 
lic) school at the Cumberland Church. Instead of find- 
ing there some scolding ogre, armed with a large bunch 
of hickory switches ready for use as I expected, we found 
an intellectual, pleasant faced young woman^ Miss Mar- 
tha Stakely, daughter of Wm. M. Stakely, of Madison- 
ville. She was the soul of goodness and kindness, a 
characteristic family trait. She welcomed us and I liked 
her at once, and was willing to remain at school. I have 
always remembered her with warm feelings of gratitude, 
not because of what I was taught by her from the blue- 
back speller, for I did not learn very much, but because 
of her unvarying kindness to a sensitive boy. There 
were those of her scholars who could repeat their A-B- 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 165 

C's forward and backward. This was to me an aston- 
ishing feat but was not to my taste. I did not see the 
sense in it. It was many months afterward when I be- 
gan to like to go to school and became interested in my 
studies that I learned that letters formed words, words 
represented objects and ideas and that ideas could be 
translated into actions. 

At that first school I used to watch from the window, 
near which I had a seat, the tan yard water wheel across 
the creek. It was an undershot wheel with cups attached, 
which as the wheel revolved dipped up the water and 
poured it into troughs that conducted the water into the 
vats in the tanyard. It was a never-failing source of 
pleasure to me to watch the wheel go round and see the 
streams of water sparkling in the sunshine. Miss Mar- 
tha did not get angry with me for preferring this to my 
one book. 

If she ever whipped anyone I do not recall it. She had 
reasonably good order without it. I have vividly in mind 
one escapade. I was in company with several boys larger 
than myself. Of course I was the dog tray of the crowd. 
A pot of greasy lamp black was found. It was suggested 
that we all black ourselves. It was agreed that it would 
be a fine joke, and so we all did. I used the blacking 
sparingly at the start, but they said it would not be a bit 
of fun miless we blacked up good and well. Tliis was 
amusing enough until just before "books" we tried to 
wash it off. We sta^^ed long enough to be sent for. Then 
we were given soap and sent back to the creek to stay till 
we were white again. But the black was like the smile on 
the face of ''Sunny Jim," it wouldn't come off. When 
I reached home then more soap and water till I ab- 
horred the very sight of them and a black mamma (as if 
I had not enough of black) was told to go along to assist 
in my ablutions. Pretty soon she said : ' ' Mercy 's sake ! 
child, 'taint a bit of use trying to git this black off, you '11 
have 'sociate with niggers all yore born days." I jerked 
loose from her and looked for the dryest place I could 
find to meditate in. My thoughts were far from cheer- 
ful; there was a girl in the case. 

But the gentle reader may ask what has this story to 
do with early history and what is the moral of it ? It has 
not much to do with it and there is no moral to it. It is 



166 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

no Aesop's fable but a digression; and a digression does 
not have to have a moral. All truth is useful. At least 
I have been told so. 

As has been remarked the Cumberland Presbyterian 
Church was a historic building. For the white people it 
answered the three fold purposes of a day school, church 
and a Sunday School building. The Sunday School car- 
ried on was a union, not a denominational one. After 
the new Cumberland Presbyterian Church was built the 
colored people used the old one for the same purposes. 
There were in the early days of the town, living in this 
section, quite an array of Cumberland preachers and ef- 
fective ones too. Among others were Eev. Jas. Tate, 
Joseph Johnston, Jas. Blair and Jas. H. Fryer. During 
the week we were taught Webster's speller and reader, 
and in the same house on Sunday we heard the gospel ex- 
pounded and the sacred desk pounded. In those days 
the conception of the Supreme Being as told was quite 
different from that presented now. Instead of preaching 
of love and gi^dng entertaining lectures on the lands 
spoken of in the Bible, we were told in the vivid terms of 
the torments that awaited the unrepentant beyond the 
grave. The pictures drawn were truly awful. The Rev. 
Blair was quite an artist in that line. But however soul 
harrowing he may have been in the pulpit, he was pleas- 
ant and companionable in the family circle. He some- 
times visited at my father's and was always a welcome 
guest. It is somewhat strange how, in the boyish mind, 
certain words and phrases are connected with certain 
public speakers and preachers. I never saw or thought 
of Mr. Blair without thinking at the same time of fire and 
brimstone. The Rev. Thos. Brown reminded me of the 
word ^' Faith;" Rev. Geo. Caldwell, then of Athens, of 
**Love;" Rev. Thos. R. Bradshaw of '^ dedicate and pre- 
destinate;" Rev. Jno. Scruggs of the Greek word of 
*'Baptizo," which he was prone to explain meant 
"plunge or immerse" and could not by any implication 
or indirection in the remotest degree mean anything else. 
Of most of these things my ideas were of the vaguest na- 
ture, except about the brimstone. This I found by ex- 
periment smelt bad when cold and worse when burning. I 
was not anxious enough for knowledge to try the effect 
on my flesh. I connected Mr. Fryer with the word 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 167 

' ' f reckwently " as he pronounced it. I became rather 
fond of the w^ord and adopted it till my father told me 
if I used the word at all to pronomice it " f ree-quently. " 
I then concluded not to use it at all, not being allowed to 
pronounce it as I wished. 

We hear often now of old time honesty and ''old time 
religion;" and many regret the changed conditions not 
only in church and state and ^schools, but even of the 
roads ; for they say that in the last instance if we have 
pike and graded roads the automobiles traveling there 
will frighten the horses and make them run away. 

It was also sinful in the minds of many to make places 
of worship comfortable, as by so doing you were listening 
to Satan's whispers and compromising with him. Serv- 
ices were twice as long then as now and the homes not 
so conveniently situated. Sunday to some children was 
made to appear as long as the rest of the week. Con- 
science did not make cowards of the people but it made 
them tyrants. Instrumental music in the church they 
thought a snare and a delusion of the devil. The favor- 
ite airs were heart-rending minors sung to such v/ords as 
''Tw^as on that dark, that doleful night." 

The place of torment was no figTire of speech. The 
lake of fire and brimstone, the wailing and gnashing of 
teeth of the lost souls was made as realistic as possible, 
that its tortures were such as no words could picture. 

As to the public school money in the forties, East Ten- 
nessee got the best of the other sections of the State. 

The disbursements were made assording to scholastic 
population. The families were larger in this section of 
the State and the people poorer. Only about sufficient 
State taxes w^ere collected in this end of the State to sup- 
port the public schools. Middle Tennessee furnished the 
greater part of the money for the other State expenses. 

The eastern part was looked down upon as poverty 
stricken and that it should ever amount to anything in 
wealth or resources was considered a remote possibility, 
wdiicli goes to show how provincial people were in those 
days, and how little was known of us in the other sections 
of the State. 

As for the roads, they were built not for the purpose 
of transportation but for viewing the scenery and inci- 
dentally find out how much a yoke of oxen could pull up 



168 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

a thirty per cent, grade. They went straight up the hill 
and directly down to the hollow; they descended to the 
depths and rose to the heights ; to wind and twist about 
was an unnecessary waste of energy. When they were 
muddy, Monroe County mud is about the muddiest mud 
of which I have any knowledge with the exception of 
Texas, whose weather behavior runs old probs crazy. If 
you happened to be traveling the road some night and 
saw something white in front of you, there was no oc- 
casion for alarm; it was no ghost but only the top of a 
North Carolina covered wagon, the rest of which was 
down belovr. All you had to do was to unhitch and leave 
your vehicle till tomorrow or next week as the case might 
be. 

When you trudged home from school you would likely 
be greeted with the remark ' * Where in the world did you 
get so muddy?" " Where f" and the whole blooming 
world was mud over 3^our boot tops. The town was lit- 
tle different from the country. When you went calling, 
after knocking you were allowed five minutes to clean 
your feet before the door was opened for your recep- 
tion. 

In 1873 and 1874 Daniel Heiskell, who had purchased 
a lot for that purpose, built the new Cumberland Presby- 
terian Church, where it now stands, across the railroad 
and east from the Southern passenger depot. He said 
he wanted to build the church as a monument to himself 
and, as he was amply able to build it, he would ask for no 
outside help, not even from the members of his own 
church. If they or others wished they could subscribe to 
the furnishing of the church and help to pay the salary 
of the pastor. He wanted to give the house and lot to 
the Cumberlands himself. Exactly what the church cost 
no one knew ; when asked the question he replied that he 
did not know precisely and if he did know would not care 
to say. Not long after the church was finished, Mr. Heis- 
kell executed a deed to the Cumberland Presbyterians. 
This deed was misplaced, lost or destroyed by fire. What 
the provisions in this deed were I have never been able 
to ascertain. Dr. R. F. Scruggs was confident it con- 
tained a reversionary clause, i. e. the property was to re- 
vert to the heirs unless used as specified for the Cumber- 
land Presbyterian church. This deed was not placed of 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 169 

record on the Registers' Books of Monroe County, at 
Madisonville. 

But even after the Cumberland Presbyterian Church 
determined in their assembly to unite with a branch of 
the Presbyterians, the Cumberlands here continued to 
use it and to claim that it belonged to the members at' 
Sweetwater. There has been no suit entered to de- 
termine the question. 

The first pastor of the church, if I remember correctly, 
was Rev. Solon McCroskey. 

Some brief information about the older members of 
the Daniel Heiskell family: — 

Daniel Heiskell was born near Winchester, Virginia, 
March 7, 1799. He died at Sweetwater on July 22, 1875. 
He married Elizabeth McBride near Greeneville, Tenn., 
March 4, 1823. She was born April 15, 1803; she died 
August 1, 1841. 

The children of this marriage were: 

One. Wm. McBride, b. May 2, 1824. Married Vir^ 
ginia Netherland, December 30, 1852. 

Two. Eliza Adaline, b. Januarv 20, 1827; d. Julv 14, 
1906. Married Nathaniel Pope Hight, October 9, 1851, b. 
Januarv 20, 1827 ; d. Mav 17, 1889. 

Three. Luther Melancthon, b. June 8, 1829. Married 
Ellen Wright Jmie 6, 1853. 

Four. Hugh Brown, b. November 20, 1831 ; d. Novem- 
ber 13, 1904. 

Five. Sarah Catherine, b. September 25, 1834. She 
married John Patterson February 3, 1853. They moved 
to Springfield, Mo. 

Six. Martha Isabella, b. November 13, 1836. She died 
in Missouri, April 21, 1861. She married N. W. Haun. 
Under the firm name of Haun & Stakely he was one of 
the first merchants in the town of Sweetwater. 

Seven. Betsey (Elizabeth) Ramsey, b. November 5, 
1839 ; married R. F. Scruggs February 14, 1860. 



Daniel Heiskell married the second time Mary Wallace 
Montgomerv on March 14, 1844. She was born January 
1, 1819, anddied June 4, 1888. 

Children of this marriage were : 

1. James Montgomerv, b. Januarv 30, 1845; d. March 
26, 1898. 



170 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

2. Margaret Caroline, b. August 19, 1847 ; married A. 
D. Scruggs May 1, 1867. 

3. Dorcas Ann, b. April 5, 1850; d. January 14, 1854. 
Most of those mentioned above were parents of large 

families. Daniel HeiskelPs grandchildren and great- 
grandchildren are very numerous. From present indica- 
tions, the Heiskell generation like the cause of popular 
government will not perish from the face of the earth. 

William McBride Heiskell 

Married Virginia Netherland. They had eleven chil- 
dren : 

1. Ada Florence, b. November 2, 1853 ; married Isaac 
Johnson July 26, 1875. They had one daughter, Brucie 
Davis, who lives in Los Angeles, Cal. 

2. Mary Lyde, b. February 3, 1855; married S. W. 
Flenniken, April 24, 1878. He died at Sweetwater, April 
1902. She lives at Sweetwater. 

3. James Netherland, b. July 20, 1856 ; married Eliza- 
beth Browder, November 18, 1880. Their children are: 
Mamie Letitia ; married J. W. Scott, September 19, 1914. 
Address, Sylvania, Ga. ; John, married Lem Dickey June 
15, 1910. Address Dallas, Texas; Loyd, married Maggie 
Fisher, October 27, 1900. Address Sweetwater ; Samuel 
and Emmett, address Olustee, Okla., and Luther, ad- 
dress, Sweetwater. 

4. Bettie Pendleton, b. April 16, 1858. Married Wil- 
son Small, December 18, 1872. They had one child, Rob- 
ert, who lives at Decatur, Tenn. 

5. Myrtie, b. February 3, 1861. Married Mark God- 
dard, December 12, 1893. Tbey live at Sweetwater and 
have two children, Willie and Hugh. 

6. Ann Lipscomb, b. June 29, 1862. Married James 
Small September 3, 1878. Tliey have three children, 
Willie. Henrv and Thomas. Thev live at Niota. 

7. Willie, b. October 28, 1863 ; d. September 2, 1870. 

8. Virginia N., b. January 18, 1865. Married Wilson 
Small August 7, 1878. They had two sons, Isham and 
William, who live at Decatur. 

9. Daniel, b. January 8, 1867 ; married Bertha Willis, 
October 6, 1901. Their children are: Earnest, Beulah, 
Grace, Mack, Anna and Tyler. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 171 

10. Gate, b. January 9, 1869 ; married John Ferguson, 
December 11, 1894. Their children are: Brucie (who 
married John Thomas, May 5, 1912), Earl, Charlie, 
Henry, Horace P. and Mary Alma. 

Henry Lee Heiskell and Martha Neil were married 
January 29, 1898. They had one child, Elga, b. December 
9, 1898.^ They live at Pilot Point, Texas. 

Ada Heiskell Johnson, married second, T. J. Hinton, 
in 1894. They live in Knoxville. James N. Heiskell, 
owns and lives on th« farm his father bought in 1852. 

Luther Melancthon Heiskell. 

(The Melancthon is sometimes abbreviated to *Ton") 
was born June 8, 1829. He died at his residence near 
Spring City on September 16, 1909. He married Ellen 
Wright of Greenville, Tenn., January 6, 1853. She was 
born November 1, 1830, and died January 2, 1892. Soon 
after their marriage they moved to Missouri and from 
there to Rhea County, near the site of Spring City, in 
1866. He was a farmer, being in a country where game 
abounded, he w^as very fond of hunting. Their children 
were seven in number : 

(1) Martha Elizabeth, b. May 11, 1854; died October 
24, 1887. 

(2) Daniel, b. April 9, 1856. 

(3) Pope, b. June 25, 1858; died September 14, 1871. 

(4) John, b. March 26, 1860; died December 21, 1860. 
' (5) Emma Ada Bell, b. August 23, 1863 ; died Septem- 
ber 12 1894. 

(6) Everett, b. March 13, 1866 ; d. August 28, 1867. 

(7) Minnie. 



Martha Elizabeth Heiskell was married to T. J. Robin- 
son October 26, 1871. To them four children were born, 
two boys and two girls. 



Daniel Heiskell married Belle Rose. To them were 
born five children. 



172 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAIiLEY 

Emma Ada Belle Heiskell was married to Jas. L. Hoyl 
October, 1882. To them were born two children, Ellen 
Hovl and Barbara Hoyl. 



Minnie Heiskell was married to S. E, Paul December 
1, 1897. To them was born one child, Ellen Heiskell 
Paul, b. June 2, 1899. 

Hugh Brown Heiskell 

Was born in Sweetwater Valley, Monroe County, 
Tenn., November 30, 1831. He died at his residence in 
Rhea County, Tenn., November 13, 1904. He married 
Rhoda Farmer of Hillsville, Va., in 1856. She was born 
April 7, 1841, and died March 23, 1892. He moved to 
Rhea County in 1861. He was a farmer and stock raiser. 
He was Justice of the Peace for fifteen years. Their 
children were : 

1. Florence, b. July 27, 1857; d. June 30, 1903; mar- 
ried R. M. Robinson of Rhea County on November 16, 
1881. ■ 

2. Wade, b. October 21, 1858; married Lydia Ganett, 
of Alton, Mo., in the spring of 1891. 

3. Frank, b. February 21, 1860 ; married Lucy Patter- 
son of Bozeman, Montana, in November 1894. 

4. Addie, b. July 21, 1861. 

5. John, b. September 17, 1863 ; d. April 17, 1915. He 
was twice married; first to Eva Holloway, of Spring 

City, Tenn., on March 1, 1892. After her death in ■ 

he married Kittv Caldwell, of Spring City, on October 
17, 1906. 

6. Hugh Brown, b. August 11, 1865; married Carrie 
Wallis, Spring City, on March 7, 1900. 

7. Catherine, b. February 8, 1867 ; married D. C. Kem- 
mer February 1, 1911. 

8. Frederick, b. August 20, 1869 ; married Annie Smith, 
Bozeman, Mont., October 18, 1911. 

9. Nellie May, b. May 2, 1871 ; d. August 13, 1898. 

10. Richmond, b. September 2, 1873; married Etta 
Hart, of Spring City, on February 20, 1907. 



history of sweetwater valley 173 

Sarah Heiskell Patterson. 

Sarah Catherine Heiskell, b. September 5, 1834, was 
married March 30, 1853, to John A. Patterson, moving 
to Springfield, Mo., the same year. She joined the church 
at an early age and lived a faithful Christian life to the 
end of her more than four score years. To them were 
born ten children, all of whom were living and present 
when she died on June 16, 1916. Their names are as 
follows : 

Bettie Y. Patterson, b. April 19, 1854. 

Addie Isabell Patterson, b. March 23, 1856. 

Virginia Ellen Patterson, b. May 13, 1858. 

Joe Alma Kate Patterson, b. November 1, 1860. 

Daniel Lewis Patterson, b. June 11, 1864. 

Jessie Heiskell Patterson, b. December 15, 1866. 

Hattie Amada Patterson, b. August 26, 1869. 
- John Hugh Rice Patterson, b. July 9, 1872. 

Eva May Patterson, b. January 30, 1875. 

Edward' Tefft Patterson, b. July 25, 1878. 

Bettie Y. Patterson, married W. E. Anderson, 1874; 
three children, Wm. Y. Anderson, Guy P. Anderson and 
Mary Heiskell Anderson (all living). 

Addie I. Patterson married Wm. H. .McCann, 1876 ; 
two children, John E. MeCann, Fred Harrison Mc- 
Cann. » 

Virginia E. Patterson married Hugh M. Cowan, 1877. 
Children, Katherine, Bruce H., Wm. P., Edna, Aleen, 
Hugh. 

Joe Alma Kate married Emory L. Hoke, 1886; two 
children, Clifford Hoke, Catherine E. Hoke. 

Daniel L. Patterson married Allie Murden, 1892; 
three children, Dwight M., Louise, Prank. 

Jessie Heiskell Patterson married Geo. D. Stateson, 
1891; three children, Alberta, Salome, Ruth. 

Hattie A. Patterson (single). 

John H. R. Patterson married Elsie Moore, 1913, one 
child, Edward Moore Patterson. 

Eva May Patterson married A. C. Jarrett, 1901 ; no 
children. 

Edward T. Patterson married Marie Lagana, 1905; 
three children, Virginia Catherine, Bernice, Edward 
Raphael. 



174 history of sweetwater valley 

Mr. James- Montgoiviery Heisnell, 

Son of Daniel and Mary Heiskell, was born in Sweet- 
water, Tenn., January 30, 1845. Died March 26, 1898. 
Interred in West View Cemetery, Sweetwater. He was 
married to Miss Laura Jones on October 18, 1874. Her 
father w^as James Jones, her mother was Sarah Pugh 
Jones of Bertie County, N. C. She was born in Memphis 
Tenn., October 23, 1848. J. M. H. owned a very large 
farm and a number of houses and lots in Sweetwater. 
He was a Cumberland Presbyterian. The children of 
Jas. M. and L. J. Heiskell were: 

Harry, b. August 27, 1875. Was married to Norali 
Jones on December 18, 1901. She was a daughter of 
Moulton and Sarah Cunningham Jones. He is a success- 
ful farmer and stock raiser and lives near Sweetwater. 
The children of Harry and Norah H. are : Lucille, King, 
Pauline, Harry Lee, Hugh Lynn and Annie Laurie. 

Edgar, b. November 19, 1877. He married Annie Cleve- 
land, daughter of Eli and Susan Martin Cleveland, Jan- 
uary 16, 1908. He is a farmer and resides in the old 
Daniel Heiskell residence. Their children are : James 
Eli, Christine and Edgar Burton. 

Maiden, b. October 4, 1880. She married D. C. Boykin 
June 15, 1902. He is a traveling passenger agent for 
the Southern R. R. Lives at Knoxville, Tenn. They 
have one child, Laura Elizabeth. 

Margaret C. Heiskell Scruggs, 

Of Knoxville, w^as born at Sweetwater on August 19, 
1847. She was married to Dr. Abijah Scruggs on May 
1, 1867, the Rev. Jas. Blair, officiating. Abijah was the 
son of the Rev. John Scruggs and brother of Dr. R. F. 
Scruggs. He was a physician and druggist. He moved 
from Knoxville to Niota in 1867 and from there to Cleve- 
land, Tenn., in 1874. They resided there until Septem- 
ber, 1889, wlien they moved to Knoxville. He died at 
Knoxville April 9, 1909, and was buried at Sweetwater 
April 11, 1909. The children of A. D. and M. H. Scruggs 
were : 

1. Richard Francis, b. July 31, 1869 ; d. May, 1902. 

2. Daniel Heiskell, b. September 15, 1874; d. July 11, 
1909. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 175 

3. Mary Heiskell, b. in Cleveland, Tenn. 

4. Bess, b. in Cleveland, Tenn. 

5. Samuel, b. July 7, 1881 ; d. July 8, 1882. 

Richard Francis married Geraldine Jackson of Nash- 
ville, Tenn., on January 24, 1895. She was the daughter 
of Dr. — Jackson, of Nashville. They had three children. 

Rev. Joseph Janeway 

Was born in Claiborne County, Tenn., June 28, 1831. 
He moved to Sweetwater Valley, McMinn County, De- 
cember, 1855, after having lived three years in Loudon, 
Tenn. He was educated in the literary course at Car- 
son and Newman College at Mossy Creek, now Jefferson 
City, Tenn. He married Jane Helms of Claiborne Coun- 
ty on February 12, 1852. She was a cousin of John 
Helms of Morristown, Tenn. She was born July 9, 1831. 
James Janeway 's father was a minister and farmer. On 
the second Saturday of July, 1859, he was ordained at 
Mt. Harmony. He was pastor of the following churches 
in the order named: Cedar Fork, Post Oak, Stockton's 
Valley; Providence, in Roane County, Prospect, Phila- 
delphia, Loudon; two churches in Knox County, Blair's 
Cross Roads and Mars Hill; Union (in McMinn) ; Good- 
field, Decatur, Sewell, Mt. Harmony, County Line, Eas- 
tanalee, Hiwassee, New Friendship and others. His chil- 
dren w^ere: 

William Thomas, b. February 16, 1853 ; d. in infancy. 

Nancy Jane, b. March 8, 1854; married S. K. Moun« 
tain. Address, New Tazewell, Tenn. 

Elizabeth Ann, b. April 14, 1856 ; married H. M. John- 
son, Bells, Texas. 

Jno. Nelson, b. December 10, 1859; married Alice 
Mitchell of Pennsylvania in 1898. They have four chil- 
dren. He is in the transfer business at Edmonds, Puget 
Sound, Wash. 

Prior Lee, b. July 14, 1862 ; married Etta Williams in 
Texas. They have seven children and live at Bonita, 
Texas. 

James Patton, b. October 29, 1864; married Josie 
Bushong. Two children living, two dead. They live 
near County Line, Monroe County, Tenn. 

Joseph Lung, b. March 13, 1867. Lives at the old Jane- 
way place. 



176 HISTOBY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Franklin Berry, b. April 15, 1869, artist, portrait and 
landscape painter. Lives at Knoxville, Tenn. 

Mary Josephine, b, September 30, 1871. She married 
Jno. Hansard. He died in 1871. 

Mr. Janeway ceased ministerial work after his 70th 
birthday. He had read the Bible through more than 
fifty times. He was made a Mason at Loudon, Tenn., 
in 1861. 

Joseph Dyche Jones 

Was born in Bedford County, Tennessee. Came to Phila- 
delphia, Tenn., and lived there from the time of his mar- 
riage until his death. He was a cousin of the Rev. Eli 
Cleveland. He was a tanner by trade, and which in the 
early settlement of the valley was a very profitable one. 
He also owned a farm. Like many people of his time his 
house was always open to his friends whether on invita- 
tion or not. 

He married Aley Mathis, daughter of Eli Cleveland, 
February 6, 1830. She was born May 7, 1813 and died 
May 30, 1855. He died in June 1883. They were mem- 
bers of the Baptist Church. The children by this mar- 
riage were : 

1. Lodusky Caroline, b. October 6, 1834; d. June 30, 
1862. (See Chas. Cannon). 

2. Mary Louise, b. December 16, 1836. Married S. Y. 
B. Williams. (Whom see). 

3. Aley Mathis, b. August 8, 1840 ; d. March 3, 1857. 

4. Eli Cleveland, b. January 25, 1841; d. August 4, 
1902. 

5. James Chamberlain, b. August 26, 1844 ; d. October 
5, 1872. 

6. Joseph Morton, b. August 30, 1847. 

7. Robert Augustus, b. April 3, 1849; d. in 1903 at 
Greenfield, Mo. 

8. Jesse Franklin, b. June 1, 1851 ; d. by accident when 
a young man. 

Eli Cleveland Jones was educated at Mossy Creek, 
Tenn., now Jefferson City. He entered the Confederate 
army, Co. F., 43rd Tenn. Regiment and was made cap- 
tain of that company after the death of Captain Turner. 
He married (first) Emma Adkins, daughter of Eli Ad- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 177 

kins, September 15, 1873, b. August 31, 1857. He was 
a mercliant at Philadelphia, Tenii., for many years, and 
afterwards at Loudon, Tenn., until his death. His first 
wife died at Philadelphia, August 8, 1878. Children 
were: 

1. Paul, b. June 10, 1874. Married Annie, daughter of 
Dr. William Harrison, of Loudon, Tenn., on July 31, 
1907. He lives in Colorado. They have one child, Wm. 
Harrison, b. October 15, 1915. 
1 2. Alma, b. May 5, 1876 ; d. June 14, 1903. 

Captain E. C. J. was married (second) to Sarah, 
daughter of Rev. W. M. Kerr, minister of the M. E. 
Church, South, and formerly of Greene Count}', Tenn., 
January 25, 1882. She was tjorn January 14, 1861. She 
resides in Loudon, Tenn. Tlieir children are: 

1. Earl C, b. January 19, 1883. Lives in Montana. 

2. Edna, b. November 15, 1884. Married Frank Jones, 
son of Mat Jones, February 21, 1904. Live at Loudon 
Their children are : Jesse Franklin, b. June 15, 1908, 
Sarah Elizabeth, b. June 20, 1910. 

3. Harriet, b. October 6, 1886. She married Ed., son 
of W. K. Blair, July 31, 1913. Two children : Jane, b. 
September 5, 1914 ; Corrv, b. December 18, 1915. 

4. Ann Mathis, b. Februarv 28, 1889. 

5. William Kerr ("Don"),'b. September 5, 1891. Em- 
ployee Bank of Loudon, Tenn. 

6. Mar}^ Katherine, b. January 1, 1894. 

7. Margaret Bicknell, b. January 19, 1899. 

James C., second son of Joseph D. Jones, m. Lou, 
daughter of Melvin Porter. They had one child, Sydney 
Lenoir, who died unmarried. After the death of her 

husband, James Jones, Mrs. J. married Mc- 

Knight and moved to Missouri where he died. 

Joseph Morton, third son of J. D. Jones, married 
Louisa J., daughter of Eli S. x\dkins, November 29, 

1869. They moved to the state of Washington. They 
had one daughter, Joseph, who married Will, son of 
Philander McCroskey. Joseph M. J. died in Washing- 
ton and his w^ife married again. 

Robert Augustus, third son of J. D. Jones, married 
Nannie A., daughter of Thos. L. Upton, September 8, 

1870. She was b. June 27, 1846; d. February 22, 1882. 
He was in the mercantile business, for a number of 



178 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

years, with his brother, E. C. Jones, at Philadelphia, 
Tenn. Their children were : 

Joseph D., who died unmarried; Frank Upton and 
Thomas, both married and live in Missouri, and Hattie 
Cleveland, who died unmarried. Frank U. married 
Fannie, daughter of William Johnson, son-in-law of D. 
H.- Cleveland. They have two daughters, teachers in 
Greenfield, Mo. 

Jesse F. Jones 

was a brother of J. D. Jones, of Philadelphia, Tenn. 
He was born August 9, 1808. He married Clarissa, 
daughter of the Rev. Eli Cleveland. She was born 

, 1815. She died March 11, 1880. They lived 

on the Philadelphia and Sweetwater road about half 
way between those places, on a farm adjoining those of 
F. H. Gregory and David H. Cleveland. Their children 
were: 

1. Aley, m. W. H. H. Bagon January 26, 1865. They 
moved to the state of Washington. Their children were : 
Bettie, b. January 22, 1866; d. October 23, 1885. Dora, 
b. April 27, 1867 ; d. January 21, 1891. Sons Charles 
and 

2. Matthew, m. November 21, 1875, Bettie Harri- 
son, daughter of William Harrison, of Pond Creek Val- 
ley. She died in July, 1916. They had three sons and 
one daughter. One son is dead. One son, Frank, lives 
at Loudon and is postmaster. Tlie youngest son, Robert, 
and his father live in Loudon, Tenn. 

3. Florence, third child of Jesse F. and Aley Jones, 
was b. February 19, 1859, and d. June 1, 1876. 

JosiAH K. Johnston. 

There is an old burying ground where the Mt. Le- 
banon Cumberland Presbyterian Church used to stand. 
It occupies about two-thirds of an acre, one and one- 
half miles northeast of Sweetwater on a corner of the 
farm now owned by Harry Heiskell. Now it is almost 
entirely grown up in woods and undergrowth. There 
are many graves there judging from the rocks and foot- 
boards and from the remains of palings rotted dowTi. 

The Josiah K. Johnston enclosure, near the northwest 
corner of the graveyard is a solid brick wall about three 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VA1,LEY 179 

feet high and about 30 by 13 feet in dimensions. Next 
to the north end of the cemetery is a monument bear- 
ing the inscription "Nancy P., wife of William E. Snead 
and daughter of J. K. and C. Johnson. Born April 3, 
1833. Died December 31, 1863." There is also a monu- 
ment near the centre of the enclosure, having on three 
sides of it these inscriptions : 

"Josiah K. Johnston, born February 10, 1805. Died 
December 10, 1861. Clarissa, wife of Josiah K. John- 
ston. Born April 23, 1811. Died April 9, 1864. Sue, 
daughter of J. K. and Clarissa Johnston. Born Decem- 
ber 15, 1845. Died August 8, 1864." 

The enclosure to the Johnston lot is the only one in 
the graveyard which is well preserved. 

Josiah K. Johnston came from Fork Creek Valley to 
the place on the Philadelphia road, one and one-half 
miles north of Sweetwater, where the Rufus Gaut fam- 
ily now reside. He purchased the land from W. M. Hen- 
derson. He had a fine body of land and, with slave la- 
bor, operated it successfully. He had a large family of 
daughters who were universally popular and, being of a 
hospitable nature, they entertained lavishly. Mr. John- 
ston was a Presbyterian. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston were 
the parents of six daughters and no sons. They were : 

One. Nancy, b. April 3, 1833; d. December 31, 1863. 

Two. Letitia, b. February 18, 1835. 

Three. Sophronia, b. September 10, 1837. 

Four. Callie, b. February 5, 1842. 

Five. Josephine, b. February 22, 1844. 

Susan, b. December 15, 1845 ; d. August 8, 1864. 

One. Nancy was married to William E. Snead. They 
had one son, William E., who resides on the Madisonville 
road, three miles from Sweetwater. 

Two. Letitia, the second daughter of J. K. Johnston 
was married to James A. Wright on March 13, 1855. 
James A. Wright was born in Wilkes County, N. C, in 
1823. His father, Josiah Wright, came from England. 
His mother, Nancy Reynolds Wright was a native of 
North Carolina. Mr. Wright came to Monroe County, 
Tenn., in his boyhood. On the •25th of May, 1848, he 
married his first wife Emma Yoakum, of Philadelphia, 
Tenn. She died in 1854. They had one daughter, Mary, 



180 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

born at Madisonville in 1849. She married George H. 
Holliday, of Atlanta, in 1868. 

About four years after his first marriage (second) to 
Miss L. Johnston, Mr. Wright bought the Bowman, now 
the Kilpatrick place, south of Sweetwater, and moved 
there. Mrs. Wright says he was the first postmaster of 
Sweetwater. He was a merchant in Sweetwater, belong- 
ing to one firm or another from the beginning of the 
town until after the commencement of the Civil War. 

He moved to Tyner's Station in 1862, and in 1867 
from there to Atlanta, Ga., Avhere he became a member 
of the firm of Glenn, Wright and Carr, commission mer- 
chants. He died in Little Rock, Ark., where he then re- 
sided, on November 18, 1872, and was buried there in 
Oakland Cemetery. The children of James and L. 
Wright : 

(i) Josiah J., b. February 16, 1856; m. Margaret 
Maude Horsf al on Januarv 6, 1897. Tlieir children are : 
Harry, b. April 16, 1898; 'Edith, b. December 14, 1910; 
Richard, b. April 16, 1911. 

(2) Nannie, b. April 11, 1858 ; m. George A. Alexander 
in June, 1876. Their children are : Julia G. ; Letitia J. ; 
James A., and Florence Bell. Part (or all) of them re- 
side in Washington, D. C. 

(3) Benjamin B., third child of James A. Wright, was 
born April 6, 1860. He married Katie Ledwidge. They 
live at Little Rock, Ark. Their children are : Ben. B., 
Jr., b. June 26, 1892 ; Kathleen, b. October 15, 1891 ; 
Christopher L., b. February 18, 1898, and Edward L., 
b. July 16, 1903. They are Roman Catholics. 

(4) Dicky L., fourth child of James A. Wright, was 
born December 12, 1867. She married Eli Richard 
Shipp December 12, 1889. 

The children of Mary and George H. Holliday, men- 
tioned above, Mary being the child of J. A. Wright's 
first wife Emma Yoakum are: Mabel, who married 
John Moodv; Ethel m. Joseph Crenshaw, and George 
H. Holliday, Jr., of Atlanta, Ga. 

Three. Sophronia, third daughter of Josiah K. John- 
ston, married Archibald Bacome on October 23, 1856. 
He was born in Sullivan County, Tenn., July 29, 1814. 
He died December 7, 1899, at his residence, one mile 
south of Philadelphia. He had lived on this place since 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 181 

his father, James Bacome, moved there in 1819. Dur- 
ing his lifetime he had bought and sold many valuable 
farms. The children of A. and Sophronia Bacome are: 

1. Callie, b. October 21, 1858 ; m. W. C. Milligan Oc- 
tober 15, 1893. Residence, Philadelphia. 

2. Beulah, b. May 12, 1865. 

3. Clara, m. S. J. Akin, of Cleveland, Tenn., Novem- 
ber 11, 1898. He was a graduate of Annapolis and a 
lawyer at Cleveland. Their children are: Caroline, b. 
March 4, 1900; Samniie, dau., b. October 6, 1901. S. J. 
Akin died July 31, 1901. 

Four. Caleclonia, m. on October 4, 1865, H. C. Peake, 
a druggist of Warsaw, Ky. Their children were : 

1. Clara, b. March 14, 1867 ; m. J. W. Evans February 
11, 1885. They have three daughters, two of whom are 
married. Juliette, m. Henry Blanton ; Sue m. J, T. Fow- 
ler and a third daughter, who is a school girl. 

2. Josie, b. May 3, 1869. She married S. D. McDan- 
nold. Address, Tarrant, Texas. He has a large farm 
and makes a specialty of high grade horses and cattle. 

3. Sue, b. December 20, 1876; m. E. F. Earnest Jan- 
uary 9, 1909. Address, Douglas, Ariz. 

4. Ben. b. September 26, 1879 ; m. May 7, 1910. He 
has been general manager of a large drug house for a 
number of years. They have one son of 4 years. 

5. Nellie, fifth child of H. C. and C. Peake, was born 
January 25, 1886; m. E. Wolf June 6, 1903. He died 
June 20, 1904. She then married K. W. Goff, postoffice, 
Douglas. 

Josephine, fifth daughter of J. K. and Clarissa John- 
ston, was married to Dr. J. B. Lackey July 20, 1865. 
They had two children: James Gilmer and Lizzie J. 
The latter married W. W. Holton, a son of Mrs. Lack- 
ey's second husband. Dr. Lackey practised his profes- 
sion at Friendsville, Blount County, Tenn. He died on 
March 22, 1872. Mrs. Lackey married (second) John W. 
Holton, of Sparta, Ky., on April 5, 1876. He was a 
farmer and stock dealer. They had one son and two 
daughters. The son was drowned on January 1, 1897, 
at the age of 19 years. One of the daughters died at 
2 years of age. The other daughter married Tilton 
Detheridge, a farmer living near Sanders, Ky. 

Mrs. Josephine Holton is dead. 



182 history of sweetwater valley 

The Lenoir Family. 

Our destiny and character are in a great measure de- 
termined by heredity and environment. No biography 
is complete therefore without an answer to the ques- 
tions: "Wlio were your ancestors, where and when 
born, whence came you and why!" Nations, provinces 
and neighborhoods have their own particular racial in- 
stincts and proclivities, their prejudices, likes and dis- 
likes. Families have their own peculiar characteristics. 
One distinguishing trait of the Lenoir family is impa- 
tience of dictation from others where personal, political 
or religious liberty is concerned. If you make the mis- 
take of telling one of them he must or must not do some- 
thing, which he thinks should concern only himself and 
not the public good, he thereupon resolves himself into 
a committee of one to devise ways and means to do or 
not to do that very thing. This pertains especially to 
such matters as amusements, food, drink and clothing, as 
he deems these are purely personal matters. 

St. Paul said: ''If meat make my brother to offend, 
I will eat no meat while the world standeth." A truly 
commendable spirit, considering the fact that he was 
once a persecutor "even unto strange cities." 

I believe as a rule the Lenoirs have gone as far as 
they ought to relieve their fellow beings in distress, their 
time and money being at the disposal of their friends; 
but if one of them were asked, even by a friend or brother 
to refrain from something on account of some whim or 
fancy, I am afraid the answer would not be satisfactory. 
I have known few of them that would consent to reg- 
ulate their diet according to the notions of another. 

When Louis XIV in 1685 revoked the Edict of Nantes, 
the charter of religious liberty signed by Henry IV in 
1598, a number of the Lenoirs left French soil forever. 
This they did not so much because they were enamored 
of the German, Martin Luther, or that the views of the 
gloomy and ascetic Calvin appealed to them, but because 
they resented the persecutions and tyranny then prac- 
ticed by the Pope of Rome and Louis XIV. 

When George III imposed a tax on the colonies they 
became ardent whigs and revolted, not that it would 
hurt them to pay the tax but because it was a violation 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 183 

of the Charter granted Carolina by King Charles II. 
Thus the spirit of Touchstone in ''As You Like It" : ''If 
reasons were as plenty as blackberries, I give no man 
a reason on compulsion." 

In 1861 the Lenoirs in all parts of the south wished 
to stay in the Union. But when Mr. Lincoln issued his 
call for troops to whip them in when and if they seceded, 
they unanimously, with one accord, to a man and to a 
woman, did their level best to get out and stay out and 
were sorry when they did not succeed. Tliey were union 
men of their own volition but not on compulsion. Gov- 
ernment should not be founded on the consent of those 
that govern. 

In France the name Lenoir is not an uncommon one. 
It was first probably written Le Noir, then anglicized 
into Lenoir. The names Xavier and Cholmondeley have 
undergone still greater changes; now written in this 
country Sevier and Chumley. I have been told also that 
the Huguenots of the family even in France wrote the 
name "Lenoir" to distinguish themselves from the 
Catholics, who wrote it with a capital N. The Lenoirs 
in France so far as I have been able to ascertain were 
farmers, traders, merchants, manufacturers, explorers, 
and occasionally art collectors and bankers. They have 
never risen to celebrity as advocates, soldiers or profes- 
sional men. Nearly the same has been the case in our 
own country. Farmers, merchants and manufacturers 
will include nearly all of them. I have known only one 
lawyer and one physician of the name in Tennessee and 
North Carolina, and they did not depend on the practice 
of their profession for a living. They have never been 
soldiers for pleasure, pay, plunder or glory. They have 
been under arms only when they were assured their coun- 
try needed their services. Nor have they been states- 
men, orators or politicians. If ever one was a preacher 
or could write "Rev." before his name I have never 
heard of it. They never had the gift of fluent speech nor 
were fond of exhibiting themselves to the public gaze. 
Few of them were so fixed in the belief of the tenets of 
any one church organization as to feel called to preach. 
Some of them have represented their counties and dis- 
tricts in the lower and upper houses of the Legislature 



184 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

of their states, as the saying^ goes, with credit to them- 
selves and their constituents,' but I believe that is about 
as far as they ever got or aspired to. They were not 
adepts at intrigue or swapping votes on public meas- 
ures. 

They have always taken prosperity and adversity with 
equal complacenc}' ; never boasted of the one or com- 
plained at the other or appealed to the public for sym- 
pathy. Their nonchalant disposition was illustrated by 
one of the Lenoirs who was an explorer in the deserts 
of northern Africa. Early one morning one of his com- 
panions came to his tent in great excitement and shouted: 
"Lenoir, the Bedouins are attacking us." "Tell the 
fools to wait; I'm shaving," was the answer. But the 
"fools" wouldn't wait. His dead body was found with 
the razor still in his hand. 

Lenoir is a favorite name for the villain in melodrama 
and dime novels. Mrs. Southworth uses it in "The 
Hidden Hand. ' ' The adjective ' ^ noir ' ' means black ; and 
black in name, black by nature is assumed. Yet they are 
not always pictured as villains in the play but are some- 
times given the place of the hero, coming out with flying 
colors. 

I might as well give at the outset the authorities on 
which I rely for statements made below: 

Wheeler's Historj^ of North Carolina. 

Historic Homes of North Carolina Part III. 

Homer D. L. Sweet's History of Avery Family of 
tSroton. Published at Syracuse, N. Y. 

The Unpublished History of the Lenoir Family by 
Miss Laura Norwood of Lenoir, North Carolina. 

Public and Family Records and Letters. Personal 
Conversations and Knowledge. This will save footnotes 
and special quotations. Any of the family friends desir- 
ing more specific and lengthy information would do well 
to consult the above authorities. 

There were four Lenoir brothers that came to America 
after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis 
XIV on May 2, 1685. One of these four brothers came 
across the ocean in his own vessel. He therefore was 
probably a resident of Nantes, as this has been a great 
commercial and shipping point from the time of the Ro- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 185 

man occupation. He must have come almost directly to 
New York City. In the archives of the Old French 
Church is a Baptismal Record of which the following is 
a translation: 

"Baptism Today, 6th October, 1696. 

After the prayer of the evening has been baptized in 
this church, Isaac, son of Isaac Lenoir and of Anne, his 
father and mother, born on the 25th of last September 
and presented to his baptism by Auguste Grrassot and 
Susanne Hulin, Godfather and Godmother, and baptized 
by M. Peiret, Minister." 

(Signed) I. Lenoir. 

Susanne Hulin. 

Peiret, Minister. 
Auguste Grassot. 

At this time New York was an English possession, hav- 
ing passed from the hands of the Dutch in 1674. New 
York City then included only the territory between the 
Battery and Wall Street. 

In one of his voyages this Lenoir's vessel was lost ''in 
a storm, carrying him to a seaman's grave." As how- 
ever he w^as not heard from after his departure from 
New York this is mere conjecture. Tliis w^as in the day 
of piracy, and he may have been captured by pirates. 
He was, I understand, the great grandfather of William 
Lenoir who settled in Wilkes County, N. C. 

In what is now Caldwell County in the "Happy Val- 
le}^ ' ' of the Yadkin River, surrounded by a grove of mag- 
nificent hemlocks and oaks, stands the colonial mansion 
of General William Lenoir, spoken of above. It was 
built by him after the Revolutionary War in 1785. Near 
this mansion is the family burying ground containing the 
remains of many of the Lenoir family. In this is a large 
monument of beautiful marble impressive in its silent 
majesty. It dominates the landscape and rises above the 
other monuments of children and grandchildren as his 
name and fame is above theirs. On this monument is the 
epitaph, which is almost an epitome of the history of his 
life. It is in a fine state of preservation, and reads as 
follows : 



186 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

IiGrp LiGs 
All That Is Mortal Of 

WiLLAM Lenoir 
Born Mav 8tli, 1751. 
Died May 6th, 1839. 

"In times that tried men's souls he was a genuine whig. 
As a lieutenant under Rutherford and Williams in 1776, 
and as a captain under Cleveland at King's Mountain 
he proved himself a brave soldier. Although a native of 
another state, yet North Carolina was proud of him as 
her adopted son. In her services he filled the several of- 
fices of major-general of militia, president of the Sen- 
ate, first president of the Board of Trustees of the uni- 
versity, for sixty years justice of the peace and chair- 
man of the court of Common Pleas. In all these high 
public trusts he was found faithful. In private life he 
was no less distinguished as an affectionate husband, a 
kind father and a warm hearted friend. The traveler 
will long remember his hospitality and the poor bless him 
as a benefactor." 

The matter of the inscription, above quoted, was left 
to his friends and associates in public life. This is their 
estimate of him — their tribute to his memory. 

In addition to the information heretofore given in re- 
gard to William Lenoir we give these facts: He was 
born in Brunswick County, Va. He married Anne Bal- 
lard, of Halifax, N. C, in 1771. In 1775 he moved to 
near where the site of Wilkesboro, then in Surry Coun- 
ty, now stands. In 1785 he moved to his residence in 
Happy Valley, called by him Fort Defiance. There he 
died. 

He served in the Indian campaigns against the Chero- 
kees under Rutherford in 1776. From his account of the 
expedition against Ferguson and the Battle of King's 
Mountain I make the following excerpts : 

"Ferguson had daily information of the advancement of the Whigs 
and was so on the alert that men on foot would not be able to over- 
take him; therefore orders were given that as many as had or could 
procure horses go in advance as mounted infantry, there not being 
a single dragoon in the Whig army. Whereupon about six hundred 
were prepared and marched off about sunrise on the sixth day of 
October, 1780, leaving the footmen, about 1,500 in number, encamped 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 187 

on Green River under the command of Major Joseph Herndon. They, 
the six hundred, marched all day to Cowpens, where they were joined 
by Colonel Williams with a few South Carolina militia. They started 
to camp but were ordered forward. They marched all night and in 
the morning joined the forces of Shelby, Sevier, Cleaveland and Camp- 
bell. They marched in four columns: Colonel Winston commanded 
the right-hand column, Cleaveland the left, and Shelby and Sevier the 
middle columns. As Colonel Campbell had come the greatest distance, 
from the State of Virginia, he was complimented with the command 
of the whole detachment." 

(He then tells of the battle and highly important re- 
sults. His own personal part in the engagement he re- 
lates as follows) : 

"I was captain of a company and left them at Green River, except 
six of them who procured horses and went with us. I went as a com- 
mon soldier, and did not pretend to take command of those that be- 
longed to my company, but fell in immediately behind Colonel Win- 
ston, in front of the right-hand column, which enabled me to give 
more particular account of the progress of that part of the army than 
any other. Before the battle Adjutant Jesse Franklin (afterward 
Governor of North Carolina), Captain Robert Cleaveland and myself 
agreed to stand together and support each, other; but at the commence- 
ment of the battle enthusiastic zeal caused us all to separate. Each 
being anxious to effect the grand object, no one appeared to regard 
his own personal safety. As to my own part from where we dis- 
mounted, instead of going on to surround, I advanced the nearest 
way toward the enemy under a heavy fire, until I got within abou«t 
thirty paces. * * * About that time I received a slight wound 
in my side and another in my left arm; and after that a bullet went 
through, my hair, where it was tied, and my clothes were cut in 
several places. From the account I have given of the battle it will 
be understood that it was fought on our side by militia alone. By 
that victory many militia officers procured swords who could not 
possibly get any before; neither was it possible to procure a good sup- 
ply of ammunition." 

The above was written not to give a history of the bat- 
tle but show what part William Lenoir, also the Cleve- 
lands, took in it. Rather than miss the fight he sur- 
rendered his position as captain and left his company at 
Green River and marched and fought as a private in 
the ranks. Thus he showed that he appreciated the sac- 
rifices of the men who had come from beyond the great 
mountains, through pathless w^ilds almost, to their re- 
lief. 

Until of late years the New England historians of the 
United States, notably in the school histories, gave little 
space and attached little importance to that expedition 



188 HISTORY OP SWEETWATER VAL.LEY 

and battle. If they mentioned it at all they referred 
to it as a skirmish in which a few backwoodsmen under 
Campbell and Sevier captured several companies of 
tories under Ferguson. This Ferguson had been annoy- 
ings the whigs of North and South Carolina and the half 
dozen bullets he got in his carcass was very gratifjdng 
to them. After disposing of the expedition in this sum- 
mary manner they would give several pages to the early 
life of General Israel Putnam. Oh there never w^as such 
a wolf as the one Putnam slew since the time of Romulus 
and Remus and the days of Red Riding Hood. He (or 
was it she ? ) ravaged the flocks and herds of the country 
around and left a pathway of blood and terror in its 
wake. Dogs could do nothing with it. When they at- 
tacked it they were torn to pieces. When closely pushed 
by men it fled to the caverns in the hills. But Putnam 
went into its lair and killed it and pulled it out with his 
naked hands. Then in the Revolution he rounded out a 
life of glorious deeds by galloping his horse down a flight 
of stone steps. When the British who were in pursuit, 
feared to attempt this feat he waved to them with all the 
grace of ''Nolichucky Jack" leading a country dance. 

But it has happened for a number of years that the 
Daughters of the Revolution have seen that the heroes 
of King's Mountain have received due meed of praise. 
Their names and fame have not been suffered to decay. 
In most histories now written they are given ample 
though tardy justice. 

I have seen a little barnyard rooster that clucked and 
strutted and crowed around all day. He said in his 
chicken language: ''No hen ever sat on the egg I was 
in; I am no high bred incubator chicken either; I was 
just hatched out in the sun ; I pecked my way out of the 
egg all by myself ; I was not raised, I just came up m}^- 
self ; not a single chicken ever did anything for me, they 
were all against me in the whole yard" — and then he flies 
up on the gatepost and flap, flap, flap, cock-a-doodle-doo 
— "what game rooster am I!" then the hens come run- 
ning. 

I have seen men like this little rooster, who virtually 
if not actually said: "I am strictly a self-made man; 
my father wasn't any account; he spent his money in 11- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAX,LEY 189 

quor and gambling; my mother was barely respectable 
if that; she took in washing; they never gave me any 
clothes or sent me to school ; they never taught me or left 
me anything; I was turned out just like a woods colt to 
graze in any pasture I could find; — ^but behold what I 
am now! I am owner of a bank or a railroad, or I've 
been to Congress, or a merchant prince or a copper king, 
and I've done it all myself, nobody helped me the least 
bit, everybody tried to hinder me, but just look what I've 
made out of myself ' ' 

''Little Jack Horner sat in the corner 
Eating his Christmas pie ; 
He put in his thumb and pulled out a plum 
And said : ' What a great boy am I. ' " 

Some people admire a man who acts and talks in this 
way; it is their privilege so to do. You rest assured 
though that, however much others may admire him, it 
is not one-tenth as much as he admires himself. 

It is of course unfortunate for a man to lack early ad- 
vantages. In, the majority of instances it is unnecessary, 
for him to call attention to the fact. All honor to the 
man who rises above his heredity and environment and 
does more for the world than his father did before him. 
I do not wish to detract one iota from the credit due 
him. But let him not belittle his parents in order to 
place himself upon a ]3edestal : to put it mildly it is not 
in good taste. 

On the other hand that one should be puffed up with 
pride or claim special privileges because some of his an- 
cestors were rich or renowned is worse still — even odious. 

I am led to make these remarks from the fact that, 
so far as I am aware, the Lenoirs have been well enough 
to do for the last 150 years in the United States to give 
their children a good education and a start in life. Few 
if any of them can claim that the)' were not given a 
chance in the world. If they did not succeed and become 
respected citizens they have no one to blame but them- 
selves. 

William Lenoir was a remarkable versatile man, ex- 
cellently well equipped mentally and physically. It was 
thought by his relations that he could do anything almost 



190 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

except play on the fiddle and probably could have done 
that if he had tried. If only he had known how much 
satisfaction it was to be able to do so no doubt he would 
have added that to his other accomplishments. 

He had a real genius for mechanics. My father told 
me that he (Wm. Lenoir), had already invented a cot- 
ton gin and had been a little slow in perfecting it when 
he found out that Mr. Whitney had patented something 
similar. It is not supiDosed that one borrowed from the 
other but that each was working independently. That I 
would have thought was in the nature of a family legend 
but for one fact : I have in my possession now a sur- 
veyor 's compass which was made by him at home with 
apparently no other tools than a pocket knife, a ham- 
mer, a file and possibly a chisel. It is all of thoroughly 
seasoned wood except the tube that fits on top of the 
Jacob staff, the needle and its support, the cards with 
the degrees marked and the circular glass covering of 
the face. The copper tube and the needle support were 
once part of a copper kettle. The face is about six inches 
in diameter and has two compass cards, the one mark- 
ing the degrees and the other the half degrees. The fig- 
ures and lines are nearly perfect except the paper of the 
cards is slightly moth eaten. The circular glass cover- 
ing the face is the least artistically done of any part of the 
compass. It was evidently not cut by a diamond but by 
some steel instrument. The edge is not smooth enough 
to have been cut by a diamond. The needle was made 
out of a piece of steel bearing the marks of having been 
filed. It was probably magnetized with a piece of mag- 
netic iron ore. I have never tried to survey with this 
compass myself but my father said that it ran lines ac- 
curately. 

I have never heard why he made the compass ; whether 
he was unable to procure one wiien he needed it or mere- 
ly to show what he could do. Whenever anything is bad- 
ly wanted, whether needed or not, the inventive genius 
of the North Carolina mountaineer rarely fails to sup- 
ply it. 

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 

Tlie Revolutionary War and the consequent loss of the 
colonies brought about a radical change of policy in 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 191 

Great Britain in regard to the treatment of her de- 
pendencies. The idea of William Pitt (Lord Chatham) 
began to prevail: "That money or taxes should not be 
exacted from the colonies without their consent." From 
that time onward the success of the English in coloniz- 
ing was remarkable, far beyond that of any other nation. 
The government at home felt a responsibility for the wel- 
fare of the colonies. They were not to be exploited, like 
the French and Spanish dependencies, for the benefit of 
the empire. Florida and Louisiana were made the foot- 
ball of kings and emperors to be kicked about at will and 
bought and sold like a piece of property. Well for the 
United States that they did not resist the change when 
bought by us. 

The difference in the feeling of the. soldiers of the col- 
onies of the different countries can be seen in the Eu- 
ropean War from this circumstance : While those from 
the German colonies sing in camp and on the march 
''The Watch on the Rhine" the French the ''Marsel- 
laise," those from the English speaking colonies unite 
in singing ' ' Home, Sweet Home, " or " It is a Long, Long 
Way to Tipperary." ''God save the King" is seldom 
heard. 



' ' A pebble in the streamlet cast 
Has changed the course of many a river. ' ' 

Here up comes the gentleman from Missouri and says, 
says he : " Point me to the river ; show me the pebble ; ' ' 
or in legal phrasing, "produce the corpus delicti." Get 
out of my sunshine, Missourian, you are a nuisance ; you 
are obstructing the wheels of the gilded car of imagina- 
tion ; get thee hence to your mule infested bailiwick and 
hither return no more. 

If hereafter I occasionally indulge in the "might have 
beens, ' ' though I may not attempt to make it rhyme with 
pen or pens, what harm is done ? or if I choose to specu- 
late (letting New York, Chicago alone) on the future or 
the past and call it speculation and not a sure thing 
who is hurt? What a drear^^ world this would prove 
without "ifs" or the magic enchantment of distant views 



192 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

of azure hued mountains. Let us determine not to let 
the grammarians abolish the subjunctive mood. 



There was once upon a time a vessel called the *' May- 
flower." I assume you have heard of it. It crossed the 
briny deep and anchored in Cape Cod Bay. (Tliis is not 
a fish story.) This ship bore pilgrim fathers and pil- 
grim mothers, though little mention is made of the lat- 
ter in history. They landed at or rather on Plymouth 
Rock in December, 1620. Some historians say there were 
just 100 of them. Many of them did not survive the 
winter but perished before the arrival of spring. They 
were reduced to such extremities that the allowance of 
food for each one was 15 grains of corn per day or 5 
grains for each person at a meal. However some of 
them survived and being a prolific people their descend- 
ants are now as the stars in nmnber — too many some 
have thought. 

I have occasionally^ speculated that if some night a 
large rat had gnawed his way into the corn bin and eaten 
up the supply or the Commissionary General had car- 
ried it off in his coat pocket what would have been the 
consequence? and what would have been the effect on 
our civilization? We would then have no Rockefeller, 
consequently no Standard Oil Company; no Boston, no 
culture ; no Sweetwater, no Beautiful Ladies City Im- 
provement Association; where now the fountain plays 
in front of my window making ever vanishing rainbows 
in the summer sunshine, there might still have been the 
forests primeval. -e-^-^/ • 

You may ask what has the coming of the Mayflo-Wjer- 
to do with Sweetwater. This. One of the Aver^^s or an 
^ancestor was a passenger in the ship. Then the line of 
descent comes down to Waightstill Avery who came to 
North Carolina. His daughter, Elizabeth Avery, mar- 
ried William Ballard Lenoir who was the father of I. T. 
Lenoir, the founder of Sweetwater. But for the last 
named there would have been no town here. He was a 
stockholder in the E. T. & Ga. R. R. ; also a director, a 
member of the county court, a former member of the 
Legislature, and he gave the seven and one-half acre plot 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 193 

on which the depot and railroad track stand. Then he 
evolved the plan of the town and laid off many lots. 

Waightstill Avery'. 

The Avery family have been a noted one since the ear- 
ly settlement of the colonies. They have aspired to and 
held public office. Many of them have been lawyers 
and politicians. They have rather craved than avoided 
responsibility. They have characteristics directly op- 
posite to the Lenoirs in this respect. They like "to read 
their history in the nation's eyes." They have rarely 
failed to fill the positions they sought with honor and 
credit. They have settled in almost every state in the 
Union. Of those who came south Waightstill Avery is 
best known and most distinguished. He was born in 
Norwich, Conn., in 1746 or 1747. He graduated at 
Princeton College in 1766 and was tutor there for a year. 
He studied law under Littleton Denis in Maryland. He 
emigrated to Mecklenburg Comity, North Carolina, and 
was licensed to practise law in 1769. He was a member 
of the Mecklenburg Convention and one of the signers 
of The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence on the 
20th of May, 1775. This document is credited to Eph- 
raim Brevard but some of the Avery family think that 
Brevard got valuable assistance from Waightstill Avery. 
Many North Carolinians, with pardonable pride, are of 
the opinion that this paper is the equal in terseness and 
vigor to the Declaration written by Jefferson and passed 
by the Continental Congress, July 4, 1776. (The writer, 
however, does not share in that opinion.) Waightstill 
Avery wa*s commissioned by Governor Martin together 
with Joseph McDowell and Sevier to treat with the 
Cherokee Indians in the early part of 1777. They ac- 
complished nothing. But on the 20th of July, 1777, at 
Long Island on the Holston River, Avery, together with 
Wm. Sharpe, Joseph Winston and Robert Lanier, signed 
a treaty with the Cherokees. The signers on the Indian 
side (in mark) were Oconostota and many other head 
men of the trilje. 

He was the first attorney general of the state in 1777. 

He married Mrs. Franks, of Jones County, in 1778. 



194 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

His law office, books and papers were burned by Lord 
Cornwallis at Charlotte in 1781. 

He moved to Burke County in 1781, Wheeler's History 
says * ' for his health. ' ' 

Taking into consideration the depredations of Corn- 
wallis and Tarleton and the still worse outrages of Pat. 
Ferguson and his gang of tories, one is not at all sur- 
prised at the unhealthfulness of the climate in eastern 
North Carolina at the time. We find this in Ramsey, 
page 274, taken from public records: "At a court of 
Oyer and Terminer and General Gaol Delivery for the 
counties of Washington and Sullivan, begun and held 
(at Jonesboro) on the 15th of August, 1782. Present 
Hon. Spruce McCay, Esq. — Waigtstill Avery, Esq., was 
appouited attornev general for the state and John Sevier, 
clerk." 

He died in Burke County in 1821, then the patriarch 
of the North Carolina Bar. 

There are three things in Tennessee history about 
Avhich much speculation has been indulged and many ac- 
counts have been written, but the exact facts in regard 
to them will probably never be known. Those who could 
have told have long since passed awa}^ — their lips for- 
ever sealed. The occurrences referred to above are the 
challenge and meeting of Jackson and Avery near Jones- 
boro; the rescue of Sevier by Shelby and others when 
he was being tried for treason at Morganton, N. C, and 
what happened between Governor Sam Houston and his 
wife shortly after his marriage that caused him to resign 
the governorship and expatriate himself among the In- 
dians. The tradition extant in the Avery family was 
somewhat different from the usually accepted version. 
My father told me that the real reason of Jackson's spite 
against Avery was not what Avery said in the court- 
house. As Avery was then the most distinguished mem- 
ber then at the Bar in that district Jackson, hardly of 
age, began the study of law under him. JacksOn had a 
share in those vices which were peculiarly distasteful 
to the conscience of the New Englander; betting on cards 
and horse races, whiskey drinking and a disposition to 
fight in any manner whatever for any fancied insult. 
Avery told him mildly that in his opinion his peculiar 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 195 

talents were not fitted for a legal career and advised 
him to adopt some other profession. Jackson's high 
strung temperament could not endure this reflection on 
his morality and intelligence and he sought an oppor- 
tunity to wipe out the score. It occurred in the conduct 
of a case in the courthouse and accordingly Jackson sent 
his challenge. Avery accepted out of deference to pub- 
lic opinion. He had no animosity against Jackson and 
determined not to shoot or shoot up in the air. Jackson 
at the meeting held his fire as he sometimes did after- 
ward in his duels and did not shoot. Avery also did not 
shoot. After he saw that Avery had no intention of 
injuring him, or even firing upon him, then they all, 
principals and seconds, returned and reported the dif- 
ficulty as amicably settled. 

William Ballard Lenoir, son of William Lenoir and 
father of I. T. Lenoir, was born in Wilkes County, N. C, 
September 1, 1775. In 1802 he married Elizabeth, daugh- 
ter of Waightstill Avery. They settled in the Happy 
Valley of the Yadkin River, two and a half miles below 
Fort Defiance, the residence of General Wm. Lenoir. 
There were born to them four of their twelve children, 
Isaac Thomas Lenoir being the third. He was three 
years old in 1810 when his father came to Tennessee. 
In considerable travel through the states of our Union, 
I have known three valleys which seemed to excel all 
others in beauty and grandeur. The^^ are rich in all the 
resources which go to make up a place where peace, 
prosperit}^ and healthfulness reign supreme, *'As happy 
a region as on this side of heaven." They are the 
Nacoochee Valley at the head of the Chattahoochee River 
in Habersham County, Georgia, the Valle}' River Valley 
in Cherokee County, N. C, and the Happy Valley of the 
Yadkin River in Caldwell County, N. C. The two first 
mentioned besides being exceedingly fertile, are im- 
mensely rich in mineral resources. They are all sur- 
rounded by grand and lofty mountains and nearby foot- 
hills, like steps ascending heavenward. In every season 
and weather they form an inspiring and pleasing pros- 
pect to the beholder. In speaking of these I am in no 
wise decrying the thousand charms of our own valley. 
However favored a spot of earth this may be, it is not 



196 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

unreasonable to suppose that there may be others that 
in the opinion of some one are still more favored. Of 
these vales spoken of I would, all things considered, give 
the palm to the Happy Valley on the Yadkin. In this 
valley in 1810 dwelt William Ballard Lenoir. He was 
happily married. He resided near many of his relations 
and in perfect amity with them. It would look as if he 
had ever^^thing to make life easy and pleasant. Yet 
"man never is but always to be blest." 

Under such circumstances as these he chose to leave 
and come across the Blue Eidge and seek his fortune in 
a comparatively unknown and unsettled country. He 
built at the mouth of the Little Tennessee on the Holston 
(Hogoheechee) River. He may have been induced to do 
so by information obtained from his father-in-law, 
Waightstill Avery, who had previously visited this coun- 
try as one of the conmiissioners of the state of North 
Carolina to treat with the Cherokee Indians. When he 
moved to where Lenoir City now stands he was 35 years 
of age and in the prime of physical and intellectual vigor. 
His mind had been informed by education and travel. 
His father had given him all the advantages possible in 
that da}^ Also he came not empty handed. He brought 
deeds to lands, wagons, horses and slaves. The negroes 
familiarly called him and his wife ''Marse Billy and 
Mis' Betsy." He took his patrimony into a far country 
but not to spend it in riotous living, as the prodigal 
son, but to largely increase it and to make it a blessing 
to his family, his friends and his neighbors. What route 
they came from North Carolina I am not informed but 
it must have been down tlie Wautauga, and thence by 
Knoxville, as the way neither along the French Broad 
or the Little Tennessee rivers was then open. The land 
he acquired in and around what is now Lenoir City 
amounted to about 5,000 acres. He settled near the cen- 
ter of his possessions and never disposed of any of his 
real estate during his lifetime. The place and ppstof- 
fice was called Lenoir's. There eight of his twelve chil- 
dren were born. 

Isaac Thomas Lenoir when a young man visited the 
place of his birth in North Carolina. He was Avonderful- 
ly pleased with tliat country. He asked his father how 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 197 

he had ever gotten the consent of his mind to leave such 
a place situated as he was. His father's answer was 
that a considerable portion of the valley was filled up 
with his own relatives and that when he went to church 
or public gatherings he met mostly his own kinspeople. 
Their relations towards each other were exceedingly cor- 
dial and agreeable, almost too much so he thought, so that 
they were liable to become clannish ; by going to another 
section he could have numerous friendships and at the 
same time retain flie love of his relations in North Car- 
olina. His career in this country justified the wisdom of 
his choice. 

William Ballard Lenoir was a very extensive farmer. 
The land that he cultivated consisted of river bottom 
lands, islands and fertile uplands. He was a manufac- 
turer of cotton yarns and a miller and his house was a 
famous stopping place. His old residence is still stand- 
ing north of the passenger depot at Lenoir City. He 
was also a land surveyor and acquired many tracts of 
land in McMinn, Monroe, Roane and Morgan comities. 
He was one of the surveyors for the state in the Hiwas- 
see District. Just exactly what part of this territory he 
surveyed, I am not informed, but he must have surveyed 
a considerable part of Range One east of the basis line. 
The scheme of the survey of the Hiwassee district was 
to take as a starting point the junction of the Clinch and 
Tennessee rivers called southwest point and run what 
was called the basis line directly south to the Hiwassee 
River ; then to run lines six miles distant from each other 
east and west of the basis line. The territory included 
between these lines was called a range. These ranges 
were surveyed into townships six miles square. These 
townships into sections, thirty-six in number, and the 
sections into quarter sections, one-half mile square, con- 
taining 160 acres. For these lots of land a grant could 
be obtained from the state by paying the stipulated 
price. The grant would read: 

160 acres the Quarter Section of Section 

Number Of Township In Range 

of the Hiwassee District of 

Date and signed by the Governor and 

Secretary of the state of Tennessee with the great seal 



198 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATEE VALLEY 

of the state attached. The county was sometimes given 
and sometimes not, but it was not necessary to do so to 
make a valid grant or a deed. The Hiwassee District 
whose boundary has heretofore been described was in the 
counties of Roane, Meigs, McMinn and Monroe. Sweet- 
water Valley was in the counties of McMinn, Monroe and 
Eoane. The part that was in Roane County is now 
Loudon County. 

Isaac Thomas Lenoir. 

It was the policy of William Ballard Lenoir when any 
of his sons or daughters married not to have them set- 
tle around him in the same neighborhood but to seek 
other fields ; he thought it better for them to do as he did. 
And even when they remained at home they ought to have 
a separate business and a responsibility of their own. 
His son, Isaac Thomas, engaged when a young man 
in the mercantile business at Lenoir's. In those days 
there were no drummers and no wholesale houses, not 
even in Knoxville, very few anywhere nearer than Bal- 
timore, Philadelphia and New York. It was the cus- 
tom then of the merchants to take a trip once or twice a 
year to one or more of those cities to purchase their 
supplies. The goods so purchased were hauled in wa- 
gons the greater part of the distance, competition then 
was not so great. Any reasonable business ability would 
insure success. In 1843 he was elected to the lower 
branch of the" Legislature as a representative from 
Roane Count}^ The county of Roane was then very 
close politically between the Whigs and Democrats. He 
Avas elected over Colonel Joel Hembree, by a majority of 
eight votes. In 1845 he was elected senator from the 

Senatorial District comprising the counties of 

Roane, Anderson, Morgan and Campbell over Colonel El- 
bert Sevier. While in the Legislature he helped to se- 
cure favorable legislation in the amendment of charters 
for East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, which insured 
the construction of that railroad from Dalton, Ga., to 
Knoxville, Tenn. As this railroad formerly under the 
name of Hiwassee Railroad, afterward under the name 
of E. T. & Ga. R. R. was graded in a great measure by 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 199 

the citizens along tlie route, it was done in small sections 
and at different times from 1837 to 1850. 

And in some places notably between this section and 
Philadelphia, the graded right of way of the railroad was 
used as a road for vehicles between the time of the grad- 
ing the road and equipping it with ties and rails. This 
was a fine object lesson for the advantage of graded 
roads, but the people were not thinking so much of get- 
ting good roads for their vehicles as securing a railroad 
for shipment of their farm products and many years had 
to elapse before the people were willing to submit to 
the proper expenditure for good roads. 

While Mr. Lenoir was a member of the Legislature in 
Nashville, he met Miss Mary Caroline Hogg, formerly 
of Nashville, then of Rutherford County. They were 
married in Rutherford County February 10, 1846. In 
the latter part of that year or early in 1847 they moved 
to the old log house, which is still standing, one and a 
half miles south of Sweetwater. In 1851 he purchased 
from his father, W. B. Lenior, 1,240 acres of land in 
Sweetwater Valley. One of these was the N. W. Quarter 
of Section No. 2, in Township Third, Range one, East, 
on which part of the town of Sweetwater is now located. 
When the railroad was completed to the location of 
Sweetwater in 1852, the only towns in this section of the 
country were Philadelphia, Madisonville and Athens. 
Madisonville was nine miles distant or about that from 
the nearest point on the railroad. It was the county 
seat of the county and by far the most important place 
in the county; therefore Madisonville and the country 
tributary thereto must have a depot, as convenient as 
possible. 

Great efforts were made at different places from Rea- 
gan's to Philadelphia to secure a proper location for a 
depot and a town. The nearest point to the railroad 
from Madisonville would have been one and three-fourths 
miles on the railroad southwest of where Sweetwater 
now stands, but that was in the center of the Lenoir 
farm, not so convenient for the neighborhood. It would 
have been somewhat difficult to secure good roads there 
too. Nor would the Heiskells, Fines, Biggs, Mayes, John- 
stons, Owens, Sneads and others have so cheerfully con- 



200 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

tributed to the building up of the town; and Mr. Lenoir 
said : ' ' Although a one-man town might be a financial suc- 
cess to the one man on whose land it was built, he much 
preferred for various reasons that this should not be 
that kind of a town." 

Upon mature thought he came to the conclusion that 
the present location would be most fitting, and most con- 
venient for this neighborhood and the adjacent valleys. 
Therefore to make certain it would be at its present lo- 
cation, he promised to give and did give the plot around 
the depot. 

I have been asked many times within the last six 
months in regard to the exact status of the land thus 
conveyed. What rights the town, the public, had in said 
deeds. That is a legal question about which there has 
not been any completed litigation or decision in the 
courts and the deed might be construed in different ways. 
As a matter of information to the public it might be well 
enough to give the description contained in the deed and 
the main proviso therein. The deed is in Book Q, Page 
150, Records of Monroe County. The date of the deed 
is August 12th, 1858. The deed is from I. T. Lenoir to 
E. T. & Ga. R. R. Co. The description is as follows: 
Commencing at a point on the center of the line of E. T. 
& Ga. R. R. at the center of the creek, at the bridge where 
the railroad crosses Sweetwater Creek at the town of 
Sweetwater, thence running at a right angle to the main 
track of said railroad, which passes the depot, north- 
westardly to a line 200 ft. from said track ; thence paral- 
lel with said last main line, northeastwardly 975 feet 
more or less to the corner of Morris Street and Lot No. 
27, thence southeastwardly at a right angle 200 feet. To 
the center of the main railroad track, thence north 
eastwardly 145 feet to the northeast line of McClung's 
Alley, thence at a right angle with the railroad 100 feeti 
to the corner of Lot No. 31 and McClung's Alley, thence 
south westardly and parallel with railroad 1,120 feet 
more or less to the center of the creek. Thence 100 feet 
to the beginning, containing seven and one-half acres 
* * * The railroad company shall not use snaj portion 
of said land hereby conveyed for any purpose whatever, 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAULiEY 201 

nor erect any buildings thereon, except such as shall be 
necessary for the purposes of said company." 

When this deed was made, this square had growing 
on it many forest trees and the farms next to the town 
were enclosed. A great many wagons came from long 
distances to haul farm products here and goods away. 
As there was not any other railroad in lower East Ten- 
nessee, the wagon trade here at that time was phenom- 
enal. This was the shipping point of several counties 
in West North Carolina. It was absolutely necessary 
that the trade of the town and for the purposes of the 
railroad that there should be a camping place and a 
hitching place for wagons and horses coming from long 
distances. It was not unusual to see within this square 
twenty or thirty wagons at a time. 

A large depot had been built which contained during 
the harvest season many thousand bushels of wheat and 
other farm products. Many farmers who hauled these 
products in also owned stock in the road and had helped 
to build it. They felt that they had a right to use their 
own grounds for their own purpose. These wagons, 
oxen, and horse wagons, had to wait sometimes a whole 
day or more before unloading their products and receiv- 
ing the goods. In the busy seasons there was a scarcity 
of rolling stock on the railroad and freight trains, usual- 
ly one a day each way had a limit of twenty cars each 
with an allowance of 16,000 pounds per car. The loco- 
motives were small wood burners, as the coal fields had 
not then been tapped. When the railroad company could 
not furnish sufficient cars, they took care, so far as they 
could, of the wheat, corn, and meat brought in for ship- 
ment. Within any reasonable length of time the railroad 
company made no charge for storage and no damage was 
exacted for lack of cars for shipment. Perishable goods 
were rarely ever received except for short distances. 

At that time there was a large territory contributing 
to the trade of this town and using this as a shipping 
point. It was a wonderful convenience to those coming 
here from a distance to be allowed to hitch their horses 
and rest under the shade of the trees. 

The town was small then and in its beginnings. Tlien 
the town was not incorporated and conditions were far 



202 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

different from at present. It was almost a nightly scene 
to have the mountaineer campers get out their fiddles 
and have a jollification and dance in the grove. It fur- 
nished amusement to them and entertainment for the in- 
habitants. There was no grand rush in those days nor 
haste to be wealthy. Hundreds of people came here to 
camp to see a railroad train for the first time in their 
lives. There was little misbehavior and rarely such a 
thing as an arrest. It is useless to say that things are 
better now or worse; they are just different, and will 
be just as different from now twenty-five years hence. 
However one cannot help but regret the disappearance 
of the magnificent forest trees which were such an orna- 
ment to our town. 

But the days of the picturesque and happy moun- 
taineer and "Hill Billies" have passed. Should one 
regret it? That is owing to whether you knew them in 
the carefree olden days. Railroads more or less change 
habits and customs; and especially congestion of the 
population makes another people. What they once were, 
they are no longer, except -in isolated locations. Many 
of these wagoners, I as a boy knew, and was fond of. 
Before I visited the mountains so frequently and almost 
became as one of them I have listened to their tales of 
adventure, hunting, fishing and the like with as vivid an 
interest as I read wild western scenes about "Daniel 
Boone" and "Sneak and Joe." I longed for the time 
when I could have an Indian pony and visit these moun- 
tains, hunt in them, and fish for speckled trout in their 
limpid streams. What cared they whether the air around 
the earth was one mile or one hundred miles high or 
if the sun was ninety-five or ninety-five million miles 
away. They were happy as long as turkey and deer 
were plentiful and there were chestnuts for the wild 
hogs. 

As I heard a candidate for Legislature. in one of the 
mountain counties say once, "Where was the log rolling 
and corn shucking that Old Sam was not there? Where 
was ever the cow in a mud hole or the hog in the crack 
that Sam didn't get it out? Elect me to the Legislature 
and I will take the dog days out of the almanac and 
make sang grow plentiful in all the mountain coves." 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 203 

To know the mountaineer thoroughly you must see him 
when his foot is on his native heath. My heart has often 
heen saddened to see them hunted down like wild beasts 
for some technical crime which was not intended to in- 
jure their fellowman. I have fished with them, traded 
and surveyed land with them and drank with them. Did 
one of them ever treat me otherwise than as a friend and 
brother? En;phatically no. Did one of them ever fail 
to return a loan which I had made him! Not that I 
recollect. Did one of them ever refuse to rise at any 
hour of the night and go where you wished, if you asked 
him? If so I do not remember it. When I went to the 
mountains to see them I did not think it at all necessary 
that I should wear my old clothes ; I sometimes wore a 
$40.00 suit ; but did I tell them that they "ought to wear 
clothes like mine, and not butternut jeans and home- 
made shoes! I did not. Did I air my superior knowl- 
edge of college, books and cities and tell them they ought 
to go to college tool I did not. Did I say to them that 
they should pipe the water from the spring to the cabin 
and not carry it in buckets'! By no means. Did I tell 
them it was necessary to their health to bathe at least 
once a month! I am not going around giving medical 
advice. Did I say to their wives and daughters that 
they ought to wear corsets and not dip snuff and chew 
tobacco ! I failed to mention these things. Did I make 
myself obnoxious by pointing out to them that some 
other way of living was far better than theirs! By no 
means. 

On the other hand, sometimes when I have told one 
good-bye I have said "John, come to see me, but I do 
not expect I can give you anything half so good as ven- 
ison and wild turkey and the corn bread and potatoes 
and the wild sour wood honey which I have eaten with 
you. Nor can I furnish you water out of the gourd as 
pure as your mountain streams; nor brandy near so 
good as that made from the sun kissed native mountain 
apple. Nor is the air of our valley quite so invigorat- 
ing as that of your hills. One thing I can do if you visit 
me, I can show you as good a fiddle as you ever drew a 
bow across. I have no bear dogs such as yours; but I 
think I have a dog or two that can interest you in a 



204 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAXtLEY 

fox chase; I will take you driving behind a horse that 
you will long remember." 

Yes, I have drank with the mountaineer time and 
again, and I cannot honestly say that I am sorry for it; 
the result was apparently productive of none but the 
kindest feelings, and I have never been present when 
an altercation resulted therefrom. I have always felt 
safer in person and property when with the mountaineer 
than in any town I have ever been in. When I have 
spent the night in their cabins I have never put my pock- 
etbook under my pillow, nor in my sock, nor in my 
shoe; I have always hung my pants on a chair by the 
fireplace, where they could steal my money if they 
wanted to. I have never lost a penny. The difficulty 
was to get them to charge anything for my entertain- 
ment. I am speaking now more of the mountaineer of 
the past than these of the present day; for they are be- 
ginning to learn the vices of the town without their cor- 
responding benefits. 

Do not understand me as apologizing for the evil ef- 
fects of what is called whiskey and brandy now manu- 
factured in the mountains, for they have become apt 
scholars in the art of adulteration. They are now not 
better products than those passed over the bar in our 
cities to the confiding customer, however palatable they 
may make them seem; and if there is an honest or kind- 
ly feeling in the drinks furnished by the bootleggers or 
received through the express office at our railroad sta- 
tions, I have not felt it nor heard of it. 

Exit the Mountaineer, enter the Ladies' City Beauti- 
ful Leaffuo. 



•^to' 



City Beautiful, League. 

There is or should be a kinship between those things 
w'hich are physically and naturally beautiful and those 
which are morally beautiful — vice is naturally repulsive, 
goodness attractive. True, crimes are committed in 
palaces and villas adorned with paintings and statuary, 
yet we do not expect it so much as in the slums of our 
cities, offensive with refuse and garbage ; just as a man 
wearing a silk hat or a flowered white vest is less liable 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 205 

to get into a street brawl than a tramp who has been 
riding on a coal car. It is an undeniable fact that har- 
monious sound and beautiful surroundings have more 
or less influence upon our conduct. 

In all religions, in all times, amongst the different 
nations the place of XDunishment in the hereafter has 
always been described as dark and foul; and the place 
of reward whatever may be its name, has been described 
as one of beauty, life and light. Therefore anyone or 
any society which can make the home, the streets, or 
parks of the town more beautiful is increasing the happi- 
ness of humanity as much as the individual who makes 
two blades of grass grow where one grew before, and 
the persons who attempt this, even if they make a mis- 
take in the place to be beautified will at least receive 
their reward from the reflex action upon themselves. 

One little star, however bright it may shine, cannot 
make a lovely night, but the million stars that scintillate 
in the firmament will thrill us and elevate us by their 
united brilliancy. The violet may bloom in some se- 
cluded nook far from the sight of humanity, but can 
we even say then that its fragrance and beauty is lost 
and it existed for no purpose? Let no one, therefore, 
be deterred from making an effort because the whole 
world cannot be made beautiful at once. 

Tlie man of wealth who gives indiscriminately to every 
one that asks him may often make a mistake, but he 
cannot by any possible chance fail at some time to give 
relief to some form of human misery. If the work of 
the City Beautiful League proves evanescent and should 
be turned into the scrap heap the week following, some 
eye would be gladdened and some heart would be cheered 
by its influence. The loafer on the street corner may 
criticize, but has he ever turned over his hand to make 
a single object around him more beautiful? We some- 
times travel 10,000 miles to see a painting or a piece 
of statuary which we never expect to behold again. 
What good does that do us if we come to our own town 
and neglect to make our own surroundings more attrac- 
tive? 

The last twenty years have wrought wonderful 
changes in the business conditions and needs of the town 



206 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

of Sweetwater. New railroads have been built; new 
villages sprung up in the territory which was once in the 
sphere of the business influence of this tow^i. The wagon 
trade is nothing like what it used to be. Rural free de- 
livery routes have had their influence in changing con- 
ditions. 

In the plot of ground around the depot the forest trees 
wiiich were not sufficiently protected have almost dis- 
appeared and conditions had been such that the sur- 
roundings were far from attractive to the eyes of the 
beholder, and produced a bad impression on those pass- 
ing on the railroad. Some fifteen years ago the stock- 
holders of the Sweetwater Hotel Association got per- 
mission from the railroad and from the city council of 
the town to enclose the plot of ground between the hotel 
and the railroad, sow grass in the enclosure, so as to 
protect the forest trees still there; when this was done 
it made the contrast between that part of the square 
and the remainder very marked. Those who preferred 
beauty to ugliness often commented on this difference 
and wondered why the other part of the plot was not 
made more attractive. About three or four years ago 
the ladies of Sweetwater and a few in the surrounding 
country took the matter up with the railroad authori- 
ties. Although the Southern Railroad Company seemed 
not unwilling to do their part in the matter, nothing defi- 
nite was determined upon, or at least done. 

About eighteen months ago Mrs. J. A. Reagan, Miss 
Nancy Jones, Mrs. W. D. Oilman, Mrs. H. T. Boyd and 
other ladies of the town, under an organization known 
as the City Beautiful League, after much correspon- 
dence and personal solicitation, induced Mr. R, E. Simp- 
son, then superintendent of this division of the Southern 
Railroad Company, to do certain work in beautifying 
this ground on the west side of the depot. This was 
done. The work was started about April 1st, according- 
to plans and suggestions furnished by the ladies' organi- 
zation. 

The finished work up to May 1, 1915, is as follows : 

The concrete circle and basin for a fountain in front 
of the Scruggs' Realty Company's liuilding, an enclosed 
park opposite tlie passenger depot, another enclosed 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 207 

park also between the freight depot and business houses, 
a concrete basin foi"* fountain in the park started as 
spoken of some years ago in front of the Hyatt Hotel. 
South of this park is a hitching circle for horses, be- 
tween the park and Sweetwater Creek. 

The railroad has also leveled, rocked and filled in 
around the parks and fountains. The town commis- 
sioners have promised in perpetuity to furnish a reason- 
able amount of water for the two fountains. The City 
Beautiful League on their part engaged to sow in grass 
or plant in flowers the ground within the concrete circle 
around the fountain first mentioned and the parks be- 
tween the tw^o fountains and to do such other work as 
to make these places attractive as they can within their 
means and to fully equip the fountains they have pur- 
chased, and are now in place. They are tasty but not 
very expensive. 

Mrs. F. A. Carter is now president of the City Beau- 
tiful League, and in charge of the improvements. I feel 
pretty well satisfied that after all the trouble the ladies 
have taken to get this work done that both their pride 
and inclination will cause them to do even more than 
promised; and the effective work they have done and 
caused to be dono is strong proof that sometimes in the 
mouth of the truly beautiful the tongue is mightier than 
the vote. 

I have heard some complaint from the country people 
and those living at a distance that these improvements 
are a diversion from the original intention of the donor. 
More than half a century ago he probably did not fore- 
see this condition of affairs when there was a growth 
of forest trees upon the plot; yet since circumstances 
and conditions have been so changed, I doubt not, that if 
he were living today he would be heartily in accord with 
such a movement as has been instituted. I as his sole 
representative, am not inclined to put any obstacles in 
the way of them, but the opposite. It is much to my 
comfort, convenience, and pleasure to have things as 
they are or rather as will be ere long. 

I am anxious to look out of my window, or sit under 
the shade of the trees and see the fountains play; the 
children laugh and sing; and the ladies promenading 



208 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

there and enjoying what they have so ardently labored 
for. 

I. T. Lenoir, Synopsis. 

Was born in Wilkes County, N. C, May 16, 1807. He 
came with his father to Tennessee in 1810. After he 
was grown he merchandised at Lenoir's and helped his 
father with his business until 1843, when he was elected 
to the Twentj^-fifth General Assembly as representative 
from Roane County. In 1845 he was elected senator 
from the counties of Morgan, Campbell, Anderson and 
Roane to the Twenty-sixth General Assembly. He mar- 
ried Mary Caroline Hogg, then of Rutherford County, 
on February 10, 1846. They came to Sweetwater Val- 
ley late in 1846 or early in 1847. He was made a Mason 
at Madisonville. He was a charter member of Sweet- 
water Lodge No. 292, F. & A. M. He resided up to 1871 
in the log house built by Sliger a mile and one-half south- 
west of Sweetwater. In 1871 he came to the town of 
Sweetwater and resided in the house where D. S. Brad- 
ley now lives. He died there of pnemnonia on Decem- 
ber 4, 1875. Besides being the founder of the town of 
Sweetwater and an owner of a large farm in Sweetwater 
Valley, he was a considerable owner of timber and coal 
lands in Roane, Morgan and Cumberland counties, Tenn., 
and, in connection with his brothers, part owner of many 
tracts in several counties of North Carolina bordering 
on Tennessee. 

The Hogg Family in North Carolina. 

(Quoted from records furnished by J. T. McGill, Ph. 
D., of Vanderbilt University to W. B. Lenoir.) 

In colonial records of North Carolina it is said, Vol. 
IV, p. 8, that McNeal, McAlister and several other 
Scotch gentlemen arrived at the Cape Fear country with 
350 Scotch people. 

In Williams' History of Virginia we find that in 1747 
McNeal came to New York from the western part of 
Scotland and visited the western part of Virginia and 
Pennsylvania. He purchased lands in North Carolina 
near Favetteville. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 209 

McNeal arrived at Wilmington in 1749 with his family 
and 500 or 600 colonists. My opinion is that Richard 
Hogg was among the McNeal colonists. He died in 1768 
or 1769. He left three sons : Robert, John and James. 

It may be that Thomas and Richard Hogg were 
brothers. Thomas Hogg (1) in 1735 got a patent for 
316 acres in Craven Comity. He petitioned for a war- 
rant for land in New Hanover in 1749 and in 1751 for 
land in Johnstone Comity. So I suppose that Thomas 
Hogg (revolutionary soldier) was born before 1751. 

JoHx Webb. 

John Webb was a delegate from the iovni of Halifax 
to the Provincial Assembly, which met at Hillsboro, Au- 
gust 21, 1775. He married Rebecca Edwards in 1776. 
He died at Halifax in 1781. 

Thomas Hogg (2) mar. the widow Webb (this lady 
I suppose) and it was she and not Mrs. Ashe (Wheeler's 
Hist., N. C, p. 186), according to Dr. Samuel Hogg, 
who replied to Colonel Tarleton Avhen he said he would 
be happy to see Colonel Washington, "If you had looked 
behind you at the Battle of Cowpens, Colonel Tarleton, 
you would have had that pleasure." 

Thomas Hogg (2), 

Son of Thomas H. (1), was one of four brothers. The 
others were: Richard of Richmond, Va., lieutenant in 
the navy; Captain Samuel H. of the Revolutionary 
army, and Robert Hogg. Thomas H. was 1st lieutenant 
of tiie first regiment raised by order of the Provincial 
Assembly, that met at Hillsboro August 21, 1775. This 
regiment was under Colonel Moore. Promoted to cap- 
taincy April 10, 1776. Was in South Carolina latter part 
of 1776 and first of 1777. Was with Washington at 
Trenton in July, 1777. In battle of Germantown Octo- 
ber 4, 1777 ; promoted to be major 5th regiment October 
19, 1777; wintered at Valley Forge. Joined Lincoln 
in 1779 and he and his brother. Captain Sam'l H. were 
captured when Lincoln's armv surrendered at Charles- 
ton, S. C, on May 12, 1780. 

Thomas H. lived in Halifax (or in the county) 1783-4, 
etc. He was elected by the Legislature in December, 



210 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAL.LEY 

1786, one of the commissioners to buy tobacco to pay 
the indebtedness of the state. 

He was a member of the Society of Cincinnati. Was 
a member of the Roj^al White Hart Lodge, F. & A. M., 
at Halifax. The last meeting he attended was Septem- 
ber 14, 1787. He died either in 1789 or 1790. He left 
two sons Samuel and John Baptist. 

He received from the state of North Carolina 4,800 
acres of land for military services. This land was lo- 
cated on the Big Harpeth River in Williamson County, 
Tenn. This was left to Sam'l, John B. and Elizabeth 
Hogg, his wife. Before November 1, 1805, Elizabeth H. 
married Wm. Killingsworth. February 12, 1825, Eliz- 
abeth Fisher, of Gribson County, Tenn., conveyed to her 
stepson, Samuel Hogg, all her remaining interest in 
these lands. 

Dr. Samuel Hogg 

Was born at Halifax, N. C, April 18, 1783. His father 
was Thomas Hogg; his mother was Rebecca Edwards, 

widow of = Webb. His mother died. His father 

then married Elizabeth His father died be- 
fore 1790. Samuel was educated at high school in Cas- 
well County. Probably had an uncle Samuel, living in 
Granville County who was his guardian. This may 
have been Captain Samuel Hogg of 1st Va. Regt. (War 
of Revolution). For a short time had charge of school 
for boys. Studied medicine under Dr. Hare, whether of 
Granville, N. C, or Dr. Hare, professor in Jefferson 
Medical College, University of Pennsylvania, is uncer- 
tain. He came to Tennessee; first to Gallatin, where 
he remained a few months, and then settled in Lebanon. 
He married April 1, 1806, Polly Talbot, of Naslmlle, 
Tenn., a member of one of that city's oldest families. 

He was one of the commissioners appointed by the 
General Assembly in 1807 for the regulation of the town 
of Lebanon. He was surgeon to the troops that descend- 
ed the Mississippi to Natchez in 1813, and was in the 
campaign against the Creek nation. Went with the 
troops to New Orleans in the winter of 1814, and was 
present at the battle of January 8, 1815. ''It is an in- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 211 

teresting incident in his life," saj^s Dr. Yandell, "that 
as he was about rising in the morning whilst the servant 
was handing him water to wash, the first cannon an- 
nounced the opening of the conflict, and the servant was 
killed by a cannon ball, which carried away his head, 
scattering the brains in the doctor's face. (Dr. Y. 's ac- 
count is found in Western Journal of Medical Surgery 
in Library of Nashville.) 

Dr. Y. says Dr. H. was at one time a member of the 
Legislature. (I do not find his name on the journal, but 
those of 1806, 1807 and 1813 are missing.) He was a 
member of Congress 1817-1819. 

While regularly engaged in the practice of medicine, 
he was for a number of years one of the proprietors of 
a drug store under various firm names, the last being 
that of Hogg & Young, in 1833, corner of Hendrick and 
Public Square. James Young mar. H. 's wife's sister, 
Ruth Rebecca Talbot. 

Dr. Hogg was a stanch adherent of Andrew Jackson. 
He offered the resolutions on nullification at a meeting 
in Nashville in 1832. He named one of his sons Andrew 
Jackson (born August 20, 1825). He was a physician at 
the last illness of Mrs. Andrew Jackson. He removed to 
Naslmlle in 1828 (southeast corner of Cherry now Com- 
merce, where his son, John W. was born May 13, 1828). 
Dr. H. removed to Natchez, Miss., in 1836. In 1838 was 
an invalid at Tyree Springs. May have returned to 
Nashville. 

April 5, 1842, bought 224 acres of land on Nashville 
road and Stewart's Creek post-office, then Stewarts- 
boro, near now Florence and Smyrna. He died there 
on his farm May 28, 1842. He was buried with Masonic 
honors in the city cemetery at Nashville. His monument 
is near that of Gov'ernor William Carroll, but the inscrip- 
tion is almost illegible. Dr. Hogg's character and work 
is given in Dr. Yandell 's accomit of his life. He joined 
the Baptist church in 1838. The degree of M. D. was 
conferred upon him by the University of Maryland in 
1818, and by Transylvania University some years later. 
He was appointed one of the censors for Middle Tennes- 
see b}^ the Medical Society of Tennessee on May 3, 1830. 
He was elected president of this society in 1840. 



212 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

The will of Samuel Hogg was dated April 27, 1842. 
Mrs. Polly Hogg was executrix and ''my good friends 
Joseph H. Talbot and Dr. James Young" were named as 
executors. 

Mary (Polly) Talbot was born January 22, 1786. She 
died at the residence of her son-in-law, Hon. Allen A. 
Hall in Nashville, on December 13, 1860. 

She joined the Baptist church on Sweetwater by 
letter on the fourth Saturday in May, 1851. Granted a 
letter of dismission the fourth Saturday in February, 
1858. There were nine children of Samuel and Mary 
Hogg, three daughters and six sons. Mary Caroline was 
the third daughter and third child. 

Mary Caroline Hogg Lenoir 

Was born at Lebanon, Tenn., on Januaiy 18, 1812. 
She was the daughter of Samuel and Mary Talbot Hogg. 

Samuel Hogg was born April 18, 1783. Died . 

Mary Talbot was born January 22, 1786, probably at 
Nashville. She married Dr. Samuel Hogg April 1, 
1806. She died April 1, 1860. 

In the early thirties Dr. Hogg became financially em- 
barrassed by security debts and moved from Nashville 
to Natchez, Miss., to repair his broken fortunes. Before 
many years, however, he returned to Tennessee, on ac- 
count of his health, and settled at Stewartsboro in 
Rutherford County. He died there and was buried in 
the old cemetery at Nashville. 

Mrs. Lenoir, when she and her husband moved to this 
valley, brought with her her piano, which was hauled 
from Nashville across the mountains. Fortmiately care 
was taken and it was uninjured when it arrived. It was 
one of the first, if not the first piano ever brought to 
Sweetwater Valley. She was very accommodating about 
playing for others and it was ver^'' diverting to witness 
the delight of people who had never heard such an in- 
strument. This piano had what was called an Aeolian 
attachment and was both a piano and a reed organ and 
these two could be played together. 

Although she was reared in Nashville and accustomed 
to city life, and afterwards to aristocratic society in the 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAULiEY 213 

wealthy town of Natchez, Miss., she was immensely pop- 
ular with all classes of people in Monroe County. She 
came nearer treating everybody with equal considera- 
tion, whoever they were or wherever she might be, 
than any one I have ever known. I never learned fully 
the value of popularity, as an asset, until the turbulent 
times of the Civil War! She seemed to be safe in person 
and property, even from the most ruffianly of those 
who knew her. 

Her church history is as follows : When a young wo- 
man she was received by baptism into the First Baptist 
Church at Nashville, Tenn., of which R. B. C. Howell 
was pastor. On the fourth Saturday in January, 1848, 
she was received by letter into the Baptist church on 
Sweetwater. On the first Saturday of August, 1860, 
when the Baptist church at Sweetwater was organized, 
she presented her letter from the Cleveland Baptist 
Church and was a member of the Baptist church in 
Sweetwater until the time of her death. She died at 
her then residence, in Sweetwater, on April 11, 1877. We 
make this short extract from the minutes of the church : 
''She evinced a deep interest in the youth of the com- 
munity and her house was ever open for their enter- 
tainment when they desired to meet for innocent social 
amusement and recreation. The poor too, found in her, 
an abiding friend — no needy creature (whether deserv- 
ing or not) was ever sent away from her door without 
relief. She was a lady of easy circumstances and was 
therefore enabled to gratify the desire of her heart in 
contributing to the support of the church at home and 
in sending the Gospel to regions abroad." 

On her tombstone in the old Sweetwater Cemetery is 
this inscription : ''Baptist in faith ; all creeds in charity; 
she spent her life in giving." The word "charity" was 
here used in its broadest sense, meaning that in her 
conduct towards others she made little or no difference 
as to their denominational faith, and by "gi\'ing" is 
also meant, not only of money and means, but by doing 
everything in her power for the happiness of others. 
No trouble was considered too great for their gratifica- 
tion. 

The children of I. T. and M. C. Lenoir were : William 



214 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Ballard Lenoir, born June 16, 1847. Samuel Hogg Le- 
noir, born December 27, 1850; died of scarlet fever 
Mav 19, 1854; buried in the Lenoir Cemetery, Lenoir 
City. 

Something About the Author. 

I was born and reared in poor little Sweetwater Valley, in "God- 
forsaken" East Tennessee. I did not have anything to amuse myself 
with in my youth except fire-crackers, tops, kites, marbles, balls, blow- 
guns, bows and arrows, red wagons, toy cannons, fiddles, banjoes, 
horns, dogs, ponies, guns, hunting, fishing, pet coons and squirrels, 
pigeons and other birds and wild animals. Some of them were some- 
times ousted or slaughtered for malfeasance, but I always found others, 
I never had any goodies except cake, pie, preserves, candy, custard, 
lemonade, peaches, apples, strawberries, watermelons, muskmelons, 
canteloupes and peanuts. I never saw a railroad until I was five years 
of age, and never visited Washington and New York until I was 
eleven, and I never went to Europe at all. I never took a joy^-ride 
in an automobile or sailed the air in an aeroplane, and never got to 
go to the movies. My father used to read to me about Moses and the 
Hebrew children; General Zach Taylor at Buena Vista; Milton about 
the war in heaven; Virgil about Aeneas and Dido; Cowper about John 
Gilpin's ride, and also parts of some plays of Shakespeare. I liked 
Macbeth, Julius Caesar and the Tempest, but I did not take to Ham- 
let, Othello and King Lear, although this last was my mother's 
favorite Shakespearian play. I never got to read fairy tales and wild 
Western scenes until I was ten, nor Robinson Crusoe till eleven, nor 
Cobb and E. D. E. N. Southworth until twelve, nor Scott until I was 
thirteen. 

When sixteen I wanted to join the rebels. My father thought I 
would make a better plowman than a warrior, so in the summer of 
1863 he put me to plowing in a stumpy new ground near the Fine 
schoolhouse. There was an epidemic of smallpox that summer in 
the town and the schoolhouse was used as a hospital for the g'irls 
and ladies of the town who took the disease. When plowing grew 
wearisome I would talk to the convalescing patients. 

Mr. Guggenkutzenscheitpkeheimer, late of Germany, then of th6 
Federal army, got the benefit of part of my summer's work. I soon 
became very fond of him. I was much touched with the kind and 
cultured method of his appropriations. I so »much admired, too, the 
nobility of soul that caused him to travel three thousand miles across 
the Atlantic to fight for the "old flag" and save our distracted coun- 
try from dissolution. How unselfish of him, also, in times of peace 
on Sunday afternoons to repair to the hilltops of our great cities and 
do his very best to "make Milwaukee famous"! 

My father, to post me politically, used to take me to hear such 
speakers as T. A. R. Nelson, Haynes, Maynard, Temple, Brownlow, 
Bailey Peyton, Harris, Johnson, Hatton, Ben Hill, Zeb Vance, Bill 
Polk and John Hopkins, and he expected me to tell him what I thought 
of the speeches and why. 

I was taken by my mother to hear preachers of all denominations, 
but sometimes, for fear I should be led away by any false doctrines, 
she would exhort me to particularly read the sixth chapter of Romans 
and about Philip and the eunuch in the Acts of the Apostles. 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VAUjEY 215 

One sad mistake my parents made in my bringing up was that, 
when I attempted versification, they encouraged ratlier than dis- 
couraged me. You may possibly, but not probably, imagine my pride 
when, at the age of nine years, three months and two weeks, I be- 
came the author of these lines: 

"I had a little dog not as big as a hog, 

The only name he had was 'pup'; 
He rold over and chast his tail, 

Also laid down and then jumpt up." 

This is the unexpurgated edition. It was very much expurgated 
after my mother was through with it. However, I stuck to my original 
version. No poet worthy of the nam e will change his loveliest creations 
when criticised by any one, however respected. Afterward in my 
callow youth when I fell in love I used to write rhymes to the loved 
ones. It was always a mystery to me that while they liked my poetry 
fairly well they never loved the poet. But for this fatal error I 
might have married and lived happily ever afterward. 

My school teachers were J. J. Sheldon, G. L.. Leyburn, Oscar W. 
Muller, Mrs. Cooke, Alfred W. Wilson and the professors at the Uni- 
versity of Virginia. 

These prepared me for writing about the inhabitants of Sweet- 
water Valley. Had I been so fortunate as to get an education out of 
the spelling book and dictionary by a pine knot fire I might have 
written histories of such worthies as Chester Arthur, Dick Croker 
and Mark Hanna. But I will leave them for others and write pf 
the people I know most about. 

With all my faults in a varied career I cannot truly say that I 
have a great many regrets. I do not regret that I spent time and 
money to hear such violinists as Ole Bull, Camille Urso and Musin; 
such singers as Neilson, Gerster, Kellogg, Campanini and Carey; 
such actors and actresses as Booth, Barrett, Salvini, Forest, Jeffer- 
son, Bernhardt, Davenport and Maude Adams; such orchestras as 
Thomas and Damrosh's; such bands as the Seventh Regiment, Mexi- 
can, Gilmore's and Sousa's; nor do I regret th.e money I spent in 
travel. 

I do regret that I ever gambled in any way, spent money for 
whiskey, or subscribed to party campaign funds and did not take 
more pains to find out and relieve the sufferings of humanity. Nor 
do I regret what I have spent in hospitality or for the pleasure 
of my friends. 

I am proud of the fact that since I grew up I have never spoken 
a harsh word nor done an unkind act to a child in my life. 

As TO Slaves in Sweetwater Valley. 

A history of this section would not be complete with- 
out some reference to the status of the slaves from 1820 
to the time of their emancipation. 

Nearly all the well-to-do farmers owning as much as 
a quarter or two-quafter sections of land also owned 
some slaves. They were not dependent entirely on slaves 
for their labor, for most of them supplemented their 



216 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

work with hired wiiite labor. Very few of them had 
overseers, therefore the condition of slaves were better 
and more endurable than those of the cotton and sugar 
planters, owned in large numbers farther south. The 
owners themselves were more personally interested in 
the welfare of their slaves. The slaves had more privi- 
leges and were better satisfied than those of the cotton 
and sugar belts. The majority of the slave owners, un- 
less in extra busy seasons, gave their negroes a half 
holiday on each Saturday, and most of the negro fam- 
ilies had their own patches planted in melons or what- 
ever they desired, to be sold by them for their own bene- 
fit, and they were encouraged to work them on half Sat- 
urcla^^s and other odd times. The negroes spent the 
money thus obtained mostly on "Sunday" clothes — they 
were very fond of dressing up, going to church and vis- 
iting on Sunday. They were often allowed to take young 
horses, which were not at work during the week, and 
ride them during Sunday. This privilege was given to 
those who were more familiar with the care of young 
stock. Sometimes, also, they were permitted to take the 
work horses in a two-horse wagon and visit or go to 
church. It was a custom among the owners of the 
slaves, which was almost universally observed, to give 
the darkies a full week's holiday from Christmas to 
New Year's Day, they having to do during that period 
only such work as was absolutely necessary. This week 
they spent mostly in music, in visiting and in dancing. 
The dancing consisted of reels, danced singly and in 
couples, cake-walks, with an occasional square dance — 
this latter imitated from the whites. It was considered 
quite a feat for a darkey to get up a new step for a reel, 
and the one doing so was as proud of it as if he had in- 
vented a flying machine. Tlie musical instruments used 
in their dances consisted of fiddles, banjoes and bones. 
The latter accomplishment is not so simple as it appears 
at first glance, and there were bone artists as well as 
fiddle and banjo artists. A good fiddler was a very noted 
and important character among the negroes, and when 
he was skillful enough to play for the white folk's dances 
he w^as inordinately proud. The music executed by the 
negroes was by ear — they had no use for notes. Their 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VA1,LEY 217 

range was only about two and one-half octaves and very 
few of them practised shifts on the violin. The fiddlers 
and banjo pickers sometimes, in addition to reels, 
learned schottisches and some other kinds of music from 
hearing the white folks play on the piano. The planta- 
tion which had a good fiddler or banjo picker on it was 
considered particularly fortunate — they did not have 
to wait for the holidays to have their dances and walk- 
arounds. However, when fiddlers were scarce they ex- 
ecuted their dance steps to the patting of their hands, 
called "juba." Where there were as many as ten or 
twelve negroes on a plantation hardly a night passed that 
there was not some form of music and dancing. 

The negroes also had many weird songs, some of 
which I could never figure out whence they came, unless 
a survival handed down from their African ancestry. 
The negro ear seems to take particularly to minors and 
if they heard an air in the major key they often hummed 
or sang it in the minor. Unless the negroes were allowed 
some form of amusement they were very liable to be 
running around of nights and getting into some sort of 
mischief, and, as they sometimes observed, get ''to plot- 
ting against the whites." 

The negroes were perfect timists, and in a strain of 
music it was rare for them to put in too many or too few 
bars. Some of the quips and turns in their playing 
would have done credit to an artist. 



Home Life of W. B. Lenoir, Jr. 

My father, I. T. L., was not an advocate of starting 
children to school at very early age. They had things 
to learn of as much importance he said as spelling and 
arithmetic and far more interesting. My father used 
to take me with him about the farm and in the wood- 
lands. He taught me the names of the different wild 
flowers, to distinguish the different kinds of trees by 
their leaves and bark, and what uses they could be put 
to. To observe and tell the various kinds of oak in 
Sweetwater Valley was a liberal education in itself. 
On his own farm there were these and more kinds of 
oak: black, red, chestnut, Spanish, spotted, post, white, 



218 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

willow and others ; of course it was easy to tell the pop- 
lar tree when once pointed out or the walnut. It was 
not so easy to point out the different kinds of maple, — 
long before I could read I took pride in knowing the 
many kinds of trees in the valley, and was very much 
chagrinned when I made a mistake. He also told me 
particularly what weeds were most hurtful to the crops 
and what was the best method to destroy them. He 
taught me as an amusement chess, checkers and back- 
gammon: My mother and father both taught me music 
and I had a supplemental education from the negroes on 
the fiddle and banjo. I used to own a dog that could 
with difficulty be kept out of the house when my mother 
was playing on the piano, but he liked lively music and 
did not take to the classical or solemn. I used to get 
insulted with him because he did not seem to care for 
the fiddle. I thought he was exhibiting very poor taste. 
However, he was too polite to howl but just went away. 
My father did not like cards or any game of chance 
and when I got the best of him after a few years' train- 
ing in chess and checkers he rather lost interest in these 
games. My mother never played a game of any kind, 
not on account of conscientious scruples but because she 
had no fondness for them and never learned them. I 
am not making an argument that it is the proper way to 
rear a boy to teach him games and music, but I do say 
that I could have a better time at home as a usual thing 
than I could away from home. 

Facts About Hiwassee and East Tennessee and 
Ga. K. R. 

In the history of General James H. Reagan it is re- 
lated somewhat in detail how, when he was a member 
of the General Assemlby in 1836, a charter of an incor- 
poration was obtained for the Hiwassee Railroad Co., 
for constructing a railroad through the Hiwassee dis- 
trict to the Southern boundary of the state; how the 
construction was commenced in 1837 and how in 1848 
the charter was renewed under the name of East Ten- 
nessee and Georgia Railroad Co., and something of how 
the General Assembly of the state under the general 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 219 

head of Improvement Acts assisted in the construction 
of the railroad through our section. 

In the Senate of 1846, Hon. I. T. Lenoir, then of Roane 
County, in a speech on the resolution directing the gov- 
ernor to issue the bonds of the state, claimed to be due 
the Hiwassee Railroad Co., in which, among other things, 
he says: 

' ' The Hiwassee railroad, with the exception of about 
three miles, is graded from Blair's Ferry on the Tennes- 
see River to the Georgia line, within twelve or fifteen 
miles of the place to which the Georgia Legislature has 
already made provision for completing the Western and 
Atlantic Railroad. A splendid bridge has been built 
across the Hiwassee; abutments and culverts have been 
made at the crossings of the creeks and branches, and 
the road might very soon, at comparatively small ex- 
pense, be completed. ' ' And he further states : ' ' Many 
of the goods for East Tennessee are now sent by the 
southern route, brought on the Georgia railroad to its 
terminus, and hauled right along the Hiwassee railroad 
grade in wagons. When the road is completed, almost 
all the goods for East Tennessee will pass over it; and 
large quantities of produce will in return be sent back 
upon it." 

Thus, had the governor and others in whom the au- 
thority was vested refused to issue to the Hiwassee R. R. 
or its successors, the East Tennessee R. R., the bonds 
the whole work done would likely have been lost for want 
of capital to equip the railroad. There was, too, consid- 
erable opposition in the Legislature and many parts of 
the state to further bonding the state for this road. Some 
were actuated no doubt by selfish motives, and others 
for what they thought good reasons. 

Mr. John Martin in a letter from Memphis, January 
16, 1846, the Hon. I. T. Lenoir's brother-in-law, advised 
him to oppose the further issuance of state bonds of Hi- 
wassee R. R., among other things he (Martin) said: 

"In the first place the expenditure that it will require 
to fuiish can be much better appropriated by improving 
the river, the improvement of the river will be a much 
better improvement for all of East Tennessee than the 
road. You can take this argument in all its leanings 



220 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALiiEY 

and see if it is not correct ; say that the river was navi- 
gable from Chattanooga to Knoxville for steam boats, 
the imports could be carried up the river much cheaper 
than on the road ; while the river to take off the produce 
would be infinitely cheaper. It is clear that the river is 
tributary to the whole of East Tennessee, while the road 
would be partial in its benefits. The annual saving by 
the river instead of road transportation would be a great 
saving and consequently enrich the country. This is my 
candid view if the road could be completed for nothing, 
and the improvement of the river would cost $500,000. 
It would be economy in the east end of the state to im- 
prove the river and abandon the road." 

The Athens Post at the time of its first publication, 
September 30, 1848, was the only paper so far as I am 
aware published between Knoxville and Chattanooga. 
From its columns, many of whose numbers were pre- 
served by I. T. Lenoir for a number of years, we glean 
the following: 

January 5, 1849. — Proceedings of stockholders E. T. 
G. B. R. : P. S. Heiskell, chairman ; Jno. L. Hunt, secre- 
tary. The stockholders went into an election of direc- 
tors for the year 1849, when the following gentlemen 
were elected, viz: Kjiox — Thos. C. Lyons, C. AVallace. 
Monroe — I. T. Lenoir, Jno. Stanfield. McMinn — T. Nix- 
on Vandyke, A. D. Keyes, W. F. Keith, R. C. Morris. 
Bradley — Wm. Grant. 

At that meeting a contract with Duff Green was en- 
tered into to build a railroad from Dalton to Knoxville. 

The state directors appointed by the Governor for 
East Tennessee and Georgia R. R. for the year 1849 
are: Jno. C. Gaut, S. A. Smith, J. C. Carlock, Jno. 
Hughes, Wm. Heiskell, J. G. M. Ramsey, S. B. Boyd, 
Jos. Jackson, Jno. Jarnagin. 

* * * Persons along the line of railroad are notified 
by A. D. Keyes, president, to remove obstructions from 
right of way. * * * * 

From ''Dalton Eagle" June 12th. Account of ground 
broken at the Southern Terminal of E. T. & G. R. R. and 
ceremonies on that occasion. 

Communication from A. D. Keyes of August 23rd. 
R. R. has succeeded in closing a contract with Messrs. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 221 

Bailey &. Co., of England, for 8,000 tons of best quality 
Welsh iron improved pattern of the T rail to weigh 
about 57 pounds per lineal yard. Have also made ar- 
rangements for chairs and spikes, locomotives, passenger 
cars and other necessary appendages for furnishing and 
putting the road in operation at an early date to the 
Tennessee River. 

September 27, 1850. — News has been received from 
England that the first thousand tons of iron rails for 
this road were shipped on the 17th of August and that 
two thousand more were manufactured and ready for 
shipment. 

On October 25th. Acts of Georgia and Tennessee leg- 
islatures published authorizing East Tennessee and W. 
& A. R. R. to complete lines to junction and granting 
certain other privileges. 

Call on the stockholders for $12.50 a share of all un- 
paid stock November 22, 1850. 

January, 1851. — Meeting called for January. R. C. 
Jackson, secretary and treasurer. Notice signed by A. 
D. Keyes in the Post May 2nd, in which he says: ''I 
have received a requisition dated April 24th signed by 
Messrs. Lyon Crozier and Wm. Lenoir directors, requir- 
ing me to convene the board of directors E. T. & G. R. R. 
Co. the third Monday of May for a purpose of review- 
ing action of the board in establishing shops for repair- 
ing engines, etc., meeting so called May 19th. 

May 23rd. — At the said meeting of the directors at 
Athens, the permanent machine shops were located at 
Athens. 

lyins says referring to this: "McMinn has borne the 
brunt and burden of the contest (meaning a fight for the 
railroad) from first to last. Her citizens have suffered 
more and bled freer and there is no cause for any preju- 
dice a'-''ainst us.'' 

Nov? 7th.— Call on E. T. & G. R. R. stockholders 
$12.50 on each share of stock by E. D. Ke^^es, president. 

From Athens Post for the vear 1852, March 26th. 
Call by Thos. H. Calloway, president E. T. & G. R. R 
$5.00 per share for stock. 

From the best information obtainable it is probable 
that the track laving of the E. T. & G. R. R. reached 



222 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Sweetwater about April 1, 1852. A place for the ''Y" 
to be used as a turn-table had already been graded. It 
occupied the place about where the circle of the north- 
east fountain now stands. 

Tlie depot also was under course of construction in 
anticipation of the arrival of the railroad. This build- 
ing as I remember it was about 40x100 feet or more. This 
was considered a good sized depot for a place which 
was then only a dot on the map. Philadelphia had been 
a town then a number of years, Loudon was then known 
by the name of Blair's Ferry. 

Mr. W. P. Jones, of Pond Creek Valley thinks that the 
laying of the track to Loudon proceeded at about the 
rate of 1-4 mile per day; that being the case the track 
laying must have reached the river near Blair's Ferry 
the latter part of May. 

I find in the Athens Post of August 10, 1852, the fol- 
lowing schedule : 

Up Train P. M. 

Leave Dalton at 2 :30 

Varnell's 2 :57 

Red Clay 3:15 

Blue Spring 3 :42 

Cleveland 3:54 

Charleston 4 :30 

Riceville 4 :51 

Athens 5 :15 

Mouse Creek 5 :35 

Sweetwater 5 :57 

Philadelphia 6 :15 

Arrive at Loudon 6 :35 

Down Train A. M. 

Leave Loudon 4 :00 

Philadelphia 4:21 

Sweetwater 4:59 

Mouse Creek 5 :03 

Athens 5 :21 

Riceville 5 :45 

Charleston 6 :06 

Cleveland 6:42 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 223 

Blue Spring 6 :54 

Red Clay 3:15 

Varnell's 8 :03 

Arrive at Dalton 8 :30 

Thomas H. Calloway, president. (July 23, 1852.) 
The railroad depot at Philadelphia was larger than 
the depot at Sweetwater and was built about the same 
time as the depot at Sweetwater. The depot at Sweet- 
water was burned hj General Wheeler during the raid 
in 1864 on account of Federal supplies being contained 
in it. 

The Loudon depot was first built at the riverside, a 
steep grade running down at the river from the railroad. 
The depot at the present location was not built until after 
the railroad bridge was finished at Loudon. 

It may be interesting to note the following tables taken 
from the Loudon Free Press Saturday, January 15, 
1853: 

"We have been kindly furnished by Mr. Pritchard, 
chief engineer, with the following table of elevations of 
various points upon the line of the E. T. & G. R. R. above 
the level of the sea : 

Dalton, Ga 771 Ft. 

Varnell's 828 " 

Tennessee Line 837 " 

Cleveland 778 ' ' 

Charleston 718 ' ' 

Low water, Hiwassee River 684 ' ' 

Athens 993 " 

Mouse Creek Summit 1,023 " 

Sweetwater '. 920 ' ' 

Philadelphia 871 ' ' 

Loudon 814 ' ' 

Low Waters of the Tennessee River 738 ' ' 

Lenoirs 786 ' ' 

Summit of Knox and Roane Line 882 '^ 

Turkey Creek 809 * ' 

Water of Do 778 * ' 

Stones 834 " 

HeiskelPs 898 '' 



224 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VAL,LEY 

McClellan's Summit 972 ** 

AVater of Second Creek 870 '* 

Knoxville 898'' 

The Fiest Plan of the Town of Sweetwateb 

Was laid off by I. T. Lenoir entirely on his own land. 
This was a part of the northeast quarter of section 2, 
township 3, range 1, east of the basis line. The land 
that was included was as follows : 

Commencing at a point in the centre of the E. T. & 
Ga. Railroad track perpendicularly above the north bank 
of Sweetwater Creek; thence down the creek along the 
bank to Daniel Heiskell's line; thence north with Heis- 
kell's line to the naiddle of the Fork Creek Road; thence 
along Biggs' and Mayes' line crossing the railroad west 
to the Pond Creek Road; thence southeastwardly with 
that road to Monroe and High streets and the Athens 
Road; thence with the east side of that road 190 feet 

to a point on the south side of street; thence 

in a direction parallel to Monroe Street southeasterly 
to Depot Street and the railroad lot; thence with that 
plot southwestwardly to corner of the same ; then at a 
right angle with the line of railroad plot southeasterly to 
the centre of the creek directly under the middle of the 
railroad track ; thence to the point of beginning. 

The Plan of the Steeets. 

The streets in the first plan of the town ran parallel 
and at right angles to the general direction of the rail- 
way tract through the railroad plot, except Monroe 
Street. This last named street starting at the creek next 
to the bridge and Heiskell's line ran directly west to the 
railroad track, thence in a southwesterly direction the 
same as the other streets in the plan of the town. It 
w^as 66 feet wide. Most of the other streets were from 
30 to 33 feet wide. The street on the east side of the 
railroad was called Railroad Street. That on the depot 
side of the railroad was named Depot Street. The next 
street west, running parallel with the railroad, was Oak 
Street, then High east of the Female College. Com- 
mencing at Monroe Street and going northeast the first 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 225 

street is Wright, then Wahmt, then Morris running by 
the Trust and Savings Bank. 

In this first plan of the town of Sweetwater I. T. Le^ 
noir laid off 65 lots. Those fronting on Depot Street 
were intended and sold for business houses. The num- 
bering of the lots was commenced on the corner of Oak 
and Morris. Number one was the lot now occupied by 
the J. A. Miller residence and the numbers ran south- 
westerly along Oak Street to twelve inclusive. Then 
from fifteen across from the Beard residence and going 
to twenty-eight northwardly along Depot Street to the 
post-office lot inclusive. 

The number of the lots in the Lenoir tract were about 
equal on each side of the railroad. 

The first recorded sale of anv lot is that to N. W. Haun 
and William Stakely on the 14th of May, 1852. The 
number of the lot was 18 and was the location now oc- 
cupied by the Sweetwater Pharmacy, the Ledbetter Store 
and the Cunningham Jewelry Store. It was 80 feet front 
on Depot Street, sometimes incorrectly called Main 
Street. The next sale was on September 30, 1852, to 
AYilson Parker of lots Nos. 11, 12, 15 and 16. These lots 
were located between the Sweetwater Hotel lot and the 
Sweetwater Creek, two of them fronting on Depot 
Street. 

In about 1854 J. C. Vaughn purchased the property 
now occupied by the Hyatt Hotel and built a hotel and 
storehouse, and he resided there with his family until 
about the time of the Federal occupation of this country 
in 1863. The majority of these lots owned by I. T. Le- 
noir were sold previous to 1860, though in many in- 
stances deeds were not made for several 3^ears later on. 
He took great pains to sell only to those persons whom 
he knew to be responsible business men and good cit- 
izens, and some were sold with the proviso that no whis- 
key or intoxicants were to be sold on them. 

From the country around came the Pattons, Rowans, 
Taylors, Robert and Bates Carter, the former of whom 
afterwards went to Texas. From Madisonville came 
S. Y. B. Williams, William McClimg, Robert and Ander- 
son Humphrey, the Clarks and James A. Wright, the 
last named beins: in business with James A. Coffin. 



226 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

From Philadelphia came John W. Goddard, Frank Bo- 
gart and Charles Cannon. Gr. G. Stillmann and J. J. Shel- 
don came here f iom New York, and resided at this place 
to the time of their deaths. Thus the town of Sweet- 
water not only became noted on account of its location, 
but for the high class of its citizens. Names here men- 
tioned are such as I recall to my mind at present — otherg 
moved here who made equally as good citizens. 

Walter Franklin Lenoir, 

Son of William Ballard and Elizabeth Avery Lenoir, 
of Lenoirs, Tenn., was born November 21, 1816. He 
died September 1, 1878. He first married Elizabeth 
Campbell Goddard, daughter of T. C. Goddard of Coun- 
ty Line, Monroe County, on November 16, 1841. She 
w^as born April 2, 1821. She died January 10, 1855. 

When a young man he entered into the mercantile 
business with his brother, I. T. Lenoir, at Lenoirs. About 
the time of his first marriage he came to Philadelphia, 
Tenn., and purchased land there. In 1853 and 1854, ac- 
cording to advertisements in the Loudon Free Press, he 
was in the mercantile business at Philadelphia, in part- 
nership with his brother-in-law, John W. Goddard. He 
also owned and operated one of the few saw mills on 
Sweetwater Creek. He owned a large body of pine land 
east of Philadelphia from which he manufactured lum- 
ber. He built the brick residence in the grove just east 
of Philadelphia in 1853. 

The children of W. F. and Elizabeth Goddard Lenoir 
were: 

1. Julia Ann Campbell, b. September 6, 1842; d. May 
22, 1848. 

2. Walter Thomas, b. August 8, 1845. 

3. William Goddard, b. August 23, 1847 ; d. March 21, 
1915. 

4. Thornton Pickens, b. July 23, 1851. 

Walter Thomas Lenoir married Loua Edwards, of 
Little Rock, Ark. She was born September 30, 1851, the 
daughter of Richard and Susan Hilder Edwards. W. T. 
Lenoir was a student at Hiwassee College when the Civil 
War began. He left school when under 16 years of age, 
and joined the Confederate army. He was a member 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAX,LEY 227 

Co. F, 43rd Regt. Tennessee volunteer infantry, un- 
der the command of Colonel Gillespie. He was in the 
siege of Vicksburg and was captured and paroled there. 
He was soon exchanged and served during the remainder 
of the war as a scout and as a member of the reorganized 
43rd Tennessee Regiment. He was with the Confeder- 
ate forces when Colonel Frank Wolford, commanding a 
brigade of Federal cavalry, was defeated on the morn- 
ing of October 20, 1863, in what is known as the Battle 
of Philadelphia. Colonel Wolford was making his head- 
quarters at the residence of W. F. Lenoir, father of W. 
T. Lenoir, at the time of the battle. W. T. Lenoir influ- 
enced the commander of the Confederate battery to so fire 
the guns, which were located on a hill about 600 yards 
distant, as not to do injury to the house or hurt any of 
the family. It was not a common experience in war for a 
man to be engaged in a real battle around his father's 
house. (For a more extended account of this engage- 
ment see another part of this book.) W. T. L. was with 
General Vaughn in the Shenandoah Valley campaign, 
and previously with him in upper east Tennessee. He 
surrendered and was paroled at Kingston, Ga., on May 
12, 1865. 

He located at Humboldt in the western part of the 
state in 1868, where he operated a hotel in the town, and 
a farm nearby. He was mayor of Humboldt in 1882. In 
1886 he bought his grandfather's, T. C. Goddard's farm, 
in McMinn County near Reagan's Station. He moved 
his family there in 1887. While living in McMinn he 
was a member of the county court from 1888 to 1890, 
when he moved to Sweetw^ater. He was a member of the 
Monroe County Court 1893-1911. He was mayor of 
Sweetwater in 1915. 

The children of W. T. and Loua E. Lenoir were : 

(1) Frank, b. at Humboldt, Tenn., July 12, 1874. He 
married Annie Powell, of Atlanta, Ga., June 7, 1906. He 
is a manufacturer of tin and iron wares at Houston, 
Tex. Their children are : Louise and Frank, b. in 1907 
and 1912. 

(2) Caroline, b. in Humboldt, Tenn., July 4, 1876. She 
was married to Clarence, son of John S. and Theresa 
Young, on January 22, 1905.. He is cashier of the Bank 



228 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

of Sweetwater, Tenn. They reside near Sweetwater. 
Their children are : Lenoir, b. June 5, 1906 ; Katherine, 
b. March 1, 1908; Clarence E., Jr., b. November 22, 
1909 ; Loua Theresa, b. March 5, 1913. 

(3) Hattie, youngest daughter of W. T. and Loua E. 
Lenoir, b. September 5, 1879. 

(4) Richard, their youngest son, b. August 14, 1881. 
He married Idelle May Waldrop, of Jonesboro, Ga., on 
April 10, 1916. Tliey live in Sweetwater. 

William Goddard Lenoir, second son of W. F. and 
Elizabeth G. Lenoir attended, in 1865, 1866 and 1867, 
school at the Dancing Branch Academy six miles south 
of Sweetwater. This school was under the charge of 
Prof. A. W. Wilson, afterward an M. A. of the Univer- 
sity of Virginia at Charlottesville. Afterwards he was 
three years at the University of Virginia, from October, 
1867 to July, 1870. He graduated there in several 
schools. In this university was developed that inde- 
pendence of thought and action which stood him in good 
stead throughout his life and contributed greatly to his 
success. After completing his education he taught school 
for two or three years at Johnson City, Tenn. 

On October 14, 1871, he was married (first) to Alice 
Osborne, daughter of Thomas and Evaline Lackey Os- 
borne, of Pond Creek Valley. She was born October 8, 
1852, and died at Johnson City on June 20, 1874. She 
is buried at Stekee Cemetery near Loudon. There were 
two children, the youngest, a son, dying in infancy in 
1874. Their daughter Lucy, born July 15, 1872, married 
R. H. Kizer, of Philadelphia. He was born in Blount 
County, Tenn., in 1858. They have three children: Le- 
noir, b. May 1, 1897 ; Alice, b. August 16, 1904, and John, 
b. February 13, 1913. 

On September 5, 1876, W. G. L. was married (second) 
to Fannie Amelia, daughter of Eli and Elizabeth Childs 
Adkins. They resided principally at the old Lenoir 
homestead until 1884, when they moved to the Adkin 
residence near the spring in Philadelphia. They resided 
there at the time of his death in March, 1915. 

He was a large jeal estate owner both in the country 
and in town, especially iu Knoxville, and had a keen ap- 
preciation of their values. He was a dairyman and an 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 229 

extensive raiser of Register Jersey cattle. He was a jus- 
tice of the peace and an influential member of the Lou- 
don County Court from 1884 to 1912. He was a firm 
advocate and supporter of good schools and good roads. 
He always contended that they were worth more than 
they cost though they might not be economically carried 
on or constructed. 

He was a joint representative from Knox and Loudon 
counties in the Fifty-sixth General Assembly, elected on 
the Fusion ticket. He was an ardent prohiljitionist and 
voted and worked for all measures for the suppression 
of the whiskey traffic while he was a member of the Leg- 
islature. He was a great friend of the colored race, 
especially of the old Lenoir darkies. His hospitality to 
guests and visitors was recognized and remarked upon 
wherever he was known. 

The children of W. G. and Fannie A. Lenoir were : 

(1) Israel Pickens, b. September 14, 1877. He mar- 
ried Gate Willson (her mother was a Gate) on November 
14, 1901. They reside in Phoenix, Ariz. Their children 
are : Marv Francis, b. October 7, 1902, and Avery Thorn- 
ton, b. October 7, 1903. 

(2) Emma Elizabeth, b. November 26, 1879. Mar- 
ried Robert Lee Minis on November 2, 1898. They live in 
Philadelphia. They have one child, Robert L., b. April 
22, 1900. 

(3) Walter Avery, b. November 13, 1883. Married 
Alice Comer, of Comer, Ga., October 23, 1909. She was 
born August 17, 1890. Four children have been born 
to them: William Alexander, b. April 18, 1911; Avery 

Comer, b. July 15, 1913; d. ; Avery Fulcher, b. 

September 14, 1914 ; d. ; and Francis Elizabeth, 

b. June 29, 1916. W. A. Lenoir is a planter and resides 
at Comer, Ga. 

(4) Kate Lothrop, b. September 26, 1885. She was 
married to Edward Young, of Mitchell County, N. C, 
on May 25, 1908. He died on September 9, 1909. He 
left one child, Edward, born June 7, 1909. 

(5) Eli Adkins, b. August 8, 1888. He married Eva 
Marler, of Lebanon, Tenn., on June 5, 1911. She was 
born at Murfreesboro, Tenn., on September 3, 1890. 



230 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

They have t^vo children : E. A. Lenoir, Jr., b. April 3, 
1913, and Barbara Francis, b. Mav 26, 1915. 

(6) William Goddard, b. December 2, 1890. Lives at 
Philadelphia, Tenn. 

(7) Charles Henrv, b. September 26, 1892; d. Novem- 
ber 14, 1896. 

(8) Thomas Penland, b. February 16, 1895; d. Jan- 
uary 17, 1901. 

Thornton Pickens Lenoir, fourth child of "VV. F. and 
Elizabeth Goddard Lenoir, attended Emory and Henry 
College, where he graduated in 1874. In September of 
that year he went to Goliad, Texas, where he took up 
the study of law. Owing to a breakdown in health he 
gave up law and went into the cattle business at Refugio, 
Texas, where he was married in 187 — to Lua McCamp- 
bell. Their children were : Thornton, who died in child- 
hood, and Elizabeth, wdio married and died a few years 
afterwards leaving one child, a daughter. T. P. Lenoir 
lives at Victoria, Tex. 

W. F. Lenoir married (second) Harriette Elizabeth 
Osborne, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Cathey Os- 
borne (both formerly of Haywood County, N. C), at 
Germantown, Tenn., on July 7, 1858. She was born at 
Asheville, N. C, on December 11, 1830. Died May 21, 
1907, at her residence at Philadelphia, Tenn. This mar- 
riage was a remarkably happy one. Mrs. Hattie Lenoir, 
besides being a cultivated and accomplished woman, was 
one who drew many friends to her by the sincerity of her 
hospitality in a home from which no one w^as ever turned 
away without a gracious reception, and help, if 
in distress. She was a devoted member of the Pres- 
byterian church while he w^as a zealous member of 
the Methodist Church, South ; yet on that account there 
was never a jar or misunderstanding. Their house was 
ever a home for the ministers of both denominations. 
The Methodist church and parsonage at Philadelphia 
are monuments to his zeal and liberality. They had a 
beautiful home in a beautiful situation and lived a beau- 
tiful life. I know of no word that fitly expresses their 
relationship and conduct. 

Her end was as serene as her life. She died while 
asleep without pain or struggle. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 231 

Tlie children of W. F. and Harriette 0. Lenoir were : 
Frank, Rose Summey, Henry and Earnest. These all 
died in childhood, except Henry L., who was born Decem- 
ber 6, 1863. He married Annie Yoakum, daughter of Wil- 
liam Cannon, May 23, 1888. They reside at the old Lenoir 
homestead one-fourth of a mile east of Philadelphia, 
Tenn. Their children are : Annie Lee, b. May 21, 1889 ; 
William Cannon, b. April 25, 1891; Frank Osborne, b. 
September 23, 1894; Susan Bogart, b. September 29, 
1898, and Robert Henry, b. January 2, 1902. 

The Lillard Family\ 

William Lillard was a colonel in the Revolutionary 
War. His son William was born August 14, 1798. He 
died in Sweetwater Valley December 18, 1844. Louise, 
his sister, and daughter of Col. Lillard, married Ben- 
jamin Routh August 23, 1838, William Lillard, second, 
who lived near Philadelphia, in Sweetwater Valley, mar- 
ried Nancy Routh, who was born August 28, 1807. She 
died at her residence near Philadelphia, July 27, 1899. 
The children of William and Nancy Lillard were : 

1. Andrew Jackson, b. on Island Creek, Februarv 20, 
1829. 

2. Washington, dead. 

3. Louisa Jane, m. Joseph Ragon, October 15, 1851. 

4. Caroline, b. 1835. Lives at Philadelphia, Tenn. 

5. Murrell, b. 1837. 

6. Julia, m. Rilev Burns. Died near Philadelphia in 
1915. 

7. Joseph B., b. 1843. 

Andrew Jackson Lillard went to California in 1858. 
He went to the Indian Diggings and also to Brush Creek. 
He dug gold most of the time he was in California un- 
til he returned to Tennessee in 1865. 

He married Samantha Taliaferro in 1867. She was 
the daughter of John Taliaferro. They moved to Fork 
Creek Valley. She died June 6, 1915, at the age of 67. 
He is a farmer. Their children are : 

John, married in Colorado. Has four children. Lives 
in Farmington, N. M. 

Murrell, lives in Atlanta and is in the employ of 
Rhodes & Co. 



232 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Nannie, m. Prof. W. T. Russell, Carson & Newman 
College, Jefferson City, Tenn. Mrs. Russell died about 
1905 leaving two children. 

Mollie, m. C. E. Harris, of Dandridge, Tenn. 

Etta Lee, m. A. L. Burem, of Hawkins County. Ad- 
dress Burem, Tenn. 

Murrell Lillard, son of William Lillard, joined the 
Confederate army and was afterwards captured at Pied- 
mont, Va., and was taken to Camp Morton, Ind., where 
he died a prisoner of fever. 

Joseph Lillard, youngest son of William Lillard, w^as 
a private in Co. D 11th Regt. Tenn. Cav., U. S. A., dur- 
ing the Civil War, serving twenty months. He is a 
farmer and lives one mile from Philadelphia. He mar- 
ried Maggie J. Harrison, of Pond Creek Valley, on 
March 31, 1885. Their children are: 

William F., b. August 2, 1886. 

Minnie L., b. April 17, 1890. 

Hattie E., b. November 8, 1892. 

Joseph Murrell, b. July 24, 1896. 

John Lotspeich 

Was born in Greene County, Tenn., November 9, 1762. 
He moved to Sweetwater about 1820. He married Mary 
Ann Earnest of Greene County, on February 18, 1806. 
She died January 27, 1878 or 1879. She was born De- 
cember 23, 1789. Mr. Lotspeich was a farmer and built a 
brick house and settled on the southwest and south- 
east quarters of section 3 and the northwest and north- 
east quarters of section 4, township 3 and range 1, east. 
He was a member of the Methodist church. He died at 
his residence on April 19, 1825. He and his wife are 
both buried at County Line Cemetery. Their children 
were : 

1. Ralph, b. September 6, 1807. 

2. Henry L., b. Februarv 10, 1810. 

3. Samuel T., b. March 5, 1812 ; d. April 2, 1847. 6. 
Christopher Marion, b. OctolDer 15, 1815. 10. Amanda, b. 
Sept. 29, 1827. 

4. Felix, was born in Greene County, Tenn., and mar- 
ried Eliza, a daughter of William Neal. They were 
members of the Methodist church; he was a farmer. 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 233 

They moved to Green (aftenvards Henry) County, Mo. 

5. Maiy Ann Lotspeicli was born in Greene County, 
Tenn. She married Wm. Robertson, who was born on 
Pond Creek, in Monroe County, Tenn. They moved to 
Green County, Mo., wiiere he died. 

6. Christopher Marion Lotspeich married Susan 
Shearl, who died about 1873-4. He was a farmer and set- 
tled near Ottumwa, Iowa. He was drowned in the Iowa 
River May 26, 1852. Their children were : Nannie, Hen- 
ry and Julia. 

7. Emmeline Lotspeich married Rufus Pickel. (See 
Pickels.) 

8. John W. Lotspeich married Nancy Ann Baker on 
December 7, 1856. She was born December 26, 1857. 
Died March 13, 1874, and was buried at Sweetwater Cem- 
etery. He was a farmer. They moved to Weatherford, 
Texas. He died at Abilene, Tex., March 4, 1894. Their 
children are : 

Mollie, b. December 19, 1857 ; m. R. W. Ellis. 
Florence, b. April, 1859; m. Benton. 
Addie, b. April, 1861; m. L. Dempsev; d. Marshall, 
Tex., in 1911. 

Carrie, b. April, 1866. Married Chas. Waters. She 
is a ranchwoman near Abilene, Texas. 

9. Elizabeth J. married J. J. Browder (whom see). 

10. Amanda Lotspeich married Francis Y. Jameson 
on April 29, 1854. They moved to Gentry Comity, Mo. 

11. Chas. W. Lotspeich was born at the Lotspeich resi- 
dence, near Sweetwater. He married Mary Smith, 
daughter of Bryant Smith, of Meigs County, in Novem- 
ber, 1871. She was born May 24, 1847, and died July, 
1877. Interred in Sweetwater Cemetery. He was a 
farmer. In 1883 he moved to Texas, and in 1886 he lo- 
cated in Jones County, where he died, and was buried 
near Hawley, October 4, 1907. Their children were : 

(1) Brvant, b. 1872, in Sweetwater Vallev. Address 
Hawley, Tex., R. F. D. No. 1. 

(2) Thomas J., b. in Sweetwater Valley July 17, 1875. 
Lives at Hawley, Tex. 

(3&4) Died in infancy and were buried at Sweet- 
water, Tenn. 



234 HiSTORi" or Sweetwater valley 

Henry Mayes. 

Birds sing and flowers bloom and shed their fragrance 
on the summer air. This is but natural; it is expected; 
as Josh Billings would say it is their business. There are 
people, now and then, so constituted that they have no 
desire or appetite to do wrong or take any pleasure in 
straying into forbidden paths. Their instincts point as 
sensitively to right and justice as the needle to the mag- 
netic pole. If they veer from the straight path at all 
it is but a circumstance of the moment and not to be reck- 
oned in the great trend of life. Kindness, liberality and 
hospitality are as much a part of their nature as for the 
flowers to bloom or the birds to sing. Of such a char- 
acter was Henry Mayes. He traveled along the even 
tenor of his way without attracting any great attention. 
He did nothing startling. The only thing he could have 
done startling was to have gone very wrong. Tliough a 
man of ability and deservedly popular, particularly with 
the young people of the neighborhood, he would never 
consent to take the lead or aspire to any office. You al- 
ways knew where to place him even if he would not al- 
low himself to be pushed to the front. He was always 
ready to assist in every good work and work for the bet- 
tering of the town and community. To be honest and 
truthful came to him as natural as to breathe the breath 
of life. A man of that kind w^ould not hold his own fi- 
nancially in the fierce business competition of today. 
That is one change that we can not help but regret. The 
ideals and ethics of business are different. Many things 
have changed for the better but not that. 

Henry Mayes had as few faults as any man in the 
valley and his virtues were by no means all negative. 
Yet if any man had called him good to his face he would 
have been much astonished. ''Why callest thou me 
good!" he would have thought. For never in public or 
private life or when he took the journey to the Great 
Beyond did he for a single instant pose for effect. Some 
might have regretted that he said nothing of seeing an- 
gels or hearing music as he passed through the portals 
of death. 

Mr. Mayes died as he had lived, simply. He who has 
lived theatricallv often dies so. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 235 

Henry Mayes' death was calm and peaceful. There 
was no posing. It was merely the last incident of a well 
spent life. Every thing he ever did was done quietly 
and in order. 

I have thus emphasized his distinguishing characteris- 
tic, the disinclination to be the central figure, because he 
did more to make Sweetwater the town it is than any 
man who ever lived in it except one, and that one was 
his most particular friend and with him in business mat- 
ters he always consulted. .^ . ' , / •/ , 7^5 • ^ ^,;^->- '-^ i*^ '^■'' ' '-'^ ^ 

Henry Mayes was maj-^ried to Nancy'f<Maginnis at 
Thorn Hill, near ^e^i's Station, Grainger County, 
Tenn., April, 1837."' As he was born at Bean's Station 
on April 15, 1817, he was just 20 years old. They soon 
thereafter moved to Sweetwater Valley and settled on 
the southwest quarter of section 35, township 2, range 1, 
east. He afterwards acquired from the Chancery Court 
of Grainger County two other tracts of 160 acres each, 
the southeast and northwest quarters of section 34 of 
the same range and township. He built a two-story 
frame house, then rather scarce in this part of the val- 
ley. They were usually either log or brick, mostly log. 
The reason for this was that at that time steam engines 
were very expensive and in this immediate section and 
Sweetwater Creek did not have sufficient fall in its 
course to furnish water power for sawmills. This house 
was near the site now occupied by the residence of J. H, 
McCaslin in the town of Sweetwater. The stage road 
ran directly by the house and this was a popular and 
convenient feeding and stopping place. The stage driv- 
ers were well known characters. They had regular sched- 
ules and ran pretty well on time. When the bugle 
sounded for the stopping places those in the neighbor- 
hood would collect to hear the news and see if there were 
any distinguished passengers on board. Eube Crabtree 
and Andy Davis were popular drivers. 

The nearest neighbors of Mayes were Owen, Biggs, 
Heiskell, Ramsey, Fine, Bunch, Henderson, Snead and 
Fryer. The tract on which he lived joined Owen, Biggs, 
Lenoir, Fine, and on the west another Mayes tract. At 
that time the site of the town of Sweetwater was timber 
lands and virgin soil. 



236 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Tims Henry Mayes being married to a lovely, attrac- 
tive and domestic woman, living at an ideal situation, 
surrounded by agreeable neighbors the future seemed ex- 
ceptionally bright; he was blessed according to his de- 
serts. 

True, church and school privileges were not all that 
could be desired. The school-house was a small log af- 
fair one-half mile southwest in the bend of the creek, and 
there was teaching only from three to four months in 
the year. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church, named 
Mt. Lebanon, of which Mr. Mayes and his wife were 
members, was located one mile to the northeast. This 
as has alreadj^ been related was afterward moved to the 
town. The children of this union were: 

Letitia, born in 1838, and died in infancy. 

James H., born 1840; died at Atlanta, Gra., 1867. 

Mary Louise, born 1843 ; died at Sweetwater 1859. 

Noble I., born May 6, 1845. Now living in Chatta- 
nooga. 

E. Virginia, born 1854 and died at Knoxville on Octo- 
ber 10, 1910. 

Mrs. Nancy Mayes died at Sweetwater 1857 and was 
buried at Mt. Lebanon. 

The Mayes place was a lovely one to visit even in 
those early times. They had enough slaves to do the 
house and farm work and it was a rare thing that they 
sat down to a meal without some one present other than 
the members of the family. Those were times when peo- 
ple felt free to go to see each other garbed as they hap- 
pened to be at the time, whether in store or home-made 
clothes did not matter. The fashions remained much 
the same from year to year till the coming of the rail- 
road. 

The Mayes family were fond of music and innocent 
amusements. Mrs. Mayes herself played the old time 
music on the fiddle. She did not play often but only for 
particular friends, as some of the ''unco guid" thought 
it not exactly in form. Dancing too was frowned upon 
as now but was not considered one of the- unpardonable 
sins. 

The family were looked upon as a particularly fortu- 
nate and happy one. Ignorance of sanitation by one who 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 237 

should have known better was the cause of much trouble. 
Sometimes an unforeseen circumstance, call it luck, fate, 
Providence or what you will, can materially change the 
whole outlook of a family. 

Dr. M. C. Parker, about the time of the first settle- 
ment of Sweetwater, built him an office and started in 
the practice of medicine. He might have known the com- 
mon practice then recommended hj the old practition- 
ers but that would be thought antiquated now. 

He became afflicted with tuberculosis, which afterward 
proved fatal. He was boarding before and during his 
sickness with the Mayes family. They waited on him 
with great care throughout his illness. 

Thus was sown the germs of the disease and was the 
cause of much sickness and some fatalities. It was not 
a well established fact at the time that this disease was 
communicable. Instead of living and sleeping in the 
open air as much as possible and leaving the windows 
of the sick room open it was thought best for the patient 
to be confined in a close room and so as to prevent tak- 
ing further cold, — thus causing him to breathe over and 
over again the same vitiated atmosphere. This hastened 
his disease and made it much more dangerous for any 
one waiting on the tuberculosis patient. 

The practice here when I was a boy was as far wrong in case of 
fevers as in tuberculosis. Wh.en I was six or seven years old there 
was an epidemic of scarlet fever in the Valley. Several of the Bow- 
mans, our nearest neighbors, died of it. I took it. My father was 
absent from home in the mountains of North Carolina. My mother 
sent for Dr. Parker. He promptly proceeded to bleed me freely. He 
prescribed the most nauseating compounds for me to take; he left 
particular instructions that I should have very little water to drink, 
and under no circumstances cold applications. Owing to my violent 
rebellion against such methods the instructions were not strictly car- 
ried out. 

My longing for my father to return, the intolerable thirst from 
bleeding and high fever is a fearsome thing for me to contemplate 
even to this day. I grew rapidly worse. The third or fourth day my 
father got back. I was truly happy. In about three minutes I had 
plenty of cold water to drink and a pitcherful or two was poured on 
my head. Had he been delayed many more hours "little Willie" 
would not be here now trying to write the history of Sweetwater 
Valley people. I resolved there and then I would never allow any one 
to suffer as I had those three or fou r days if I could prevent it. It 
seemed to me greatly worse than natural thirst. I have told this 
to show what unnecessary tortures ignorance can inflict on humanity. 
The doctor did only what the books he happened to have told him 
to do. My mother, whose father was a physician, did not dare to 



238 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

disobey instructions. She had a reverence for tradition. He (her 
father) bled his patients sometimes and charged five dollars for it too. 

This was the price for that service ( ?) during the thirties in 
Nashville. 

A friend of mine once told me that a man told him that Dr. W. 
G. E. Cunningham, a former missionary to China and well known 
educator and editor of Sunday-school literature, is reported to have 
said that the manner of employing physicians in China was radically 
different from what it is in this country. There the doctor is hired 
and paid to keep you well and see that your household does not dis- 
obey the laws of health. If you get sick he is obligated to give 
you his medical services free of charge and, in addition to this, to 
pay you a reasonable sum for loss of time during the illness. Thus 
the M. D. resolved himself into a medical aid, sick benefit, acci- 
dent insurance and benevolent society and sanitary commission all 
in one. This custom, if adopted here, would revolutionize the method 
of procedure in the United States. This statement of Dr. Cunning- 
ham, if he made such, might have been true of the Mandarins and 
the higher class Chinese, but that it is generally a fact, applying to 
the common millions, there is much reason to doubt. Dr. Hattie 
Love, a medical missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 
at Soochow, makes no mention of such a state of affairs in her letters 
home. 

I am not able to qualify as an expert on Chinese customs, yet I 
have seen enough of them in my travels in this country to form and 
express an opinion. I was an honorary member of the order of the 
Sons of Confucius at college; I have looked on in the Rue Royal at 
New Orleans, where a great many Chinamen were playing "keno" 
(this is a game somewhat similar to baseball; the one gambols on the 
green and the other gambles on the "green"; one is sward and the 
other cloth). I have in my possession a receipt, written in the 
Chinese characters, for clothes washed in Chicago; I have seen the 
"yellow perils" shoveling sand off the railroad track in the deserts 
of Nevada; I passed the time of day with a "Chink" at Portland,. 
Oregon (I asked him what time it was and he passed on without 
a word) ; a quarter of a century ago I walked along several of the 
streets of Chinatown in San Francisco and I saw enough in the day- 
time from the outside to know that I did not wish to visit their 
opium dens and sinks of iniquity at night; I left that for the "slum- 
mers" and the philanthropists. From the knowledge obtained as 
above, I am positive that the Chinese resident here is not controlled 
by any medical director, and that there is nothing sanitary about 
him from his queue to the soles of his wooden shoes; whatever may 
be his condition in his own Celestial Kingdom, or, as they call it now, 
republic. 

There is no profession, the members of which have half the temp- 
tations and opportunities to deceive and fake as the medical. The 
physician thrives on the ills of humanity; it is money in his pocket 
for people to stay sick. When he prevents epidemics and diseases 
he is taking the bread out of his own and his children's mouths. He 
is the depositary, too, of more people's secrets than any one except a 
Roman Catholic priest. Thus a physician is usually the best and most 
unselfish or the very worst of men. His opportunities for good and 
evil are incalculable. In my experience I could point to many in- 
stances both ways, but to much more in the way of good. It is rare 
that he abuses his professional knowledge or intentionally lengthens 
illness to obtain a fee. When he varies from the truth it is when 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 239 

he thinks it is for the good of the patient. I believe this is the rule 
and not the exception. "Skin for skin, yea, all that a man has will be 
given for his life." Many a man since Job's time has cursed the day 
on which he was born on account of bodily afflictions. Then it is not 
hard for the designing to make capital out of his circumstances. I 
thus apparently digress to pay a deserved tribute to the medical fra- 
ternity, as some things I have said heretofore might be taken as a 
reflection upon them. I do this also more cheerfully for the addi- 
tional reason that among the most reputable physicians medical 
ethics does not allow one of them to say anything about himself in 
public print, except in the medical journals, which are not read by 
the general public. In these days of advertisement, when so many 
blow their own trumpets or hire it done, this is an anomalous posi- 
tion, however fortunate it may be for the patent medicine vender. 

Destructiox of New Mayes Residence by Fike. 

In the destruction of the new Mayes residence by fire, I think in 
about the year 1870, the family records were partially destroyed; there- 
fore, it is difficult now, in some instances, to arrive at the exact dates 
of births, deaths and marriages. Under the circumstances we can 
only approximate. We have to rely on our own memory and that of 
.the living members of the family. The Athens Post for many years 
was the nearest newspaper published anywhere in this section of the 
country. Then, too, the personal happenings and neighborhood affairs 
were not considered important enough for publication. In the early 
days I doubt if the passing through of President Polk on the stage 
line would have been chronicled unless it had some political signifi- 
cance. From the year 1875 forward should be easy sailing to write 
the history of our Valley, provided one have access to the daily and 
weekly papers. 

In say about 1856 there had scarcely been a death in 
the Owen, Biggs or Mayes families. The Mayes house 
was up on the top of the hill ; the Biggs at the foot of the 
hill near the large spring and north of The Mascot Ho- 
siery Mills. The brick is a very old house and is still 
standing. The meadow land near was practically a 
swamp overgrown with calamus, watercress and bushes. 
The overflow of the creek also was much more than at 
present, there being many more obstructions in the bed 
of the stream. The Owen residence was in a low place 
near a large green pond and not far from the bank of 
the creek. From the situation it would appear that the 
site of the Mayes house was the most healthful of the 
three. Aftei results did not prove this to be so. 

Mayes Family in 1856. 

In 1856 the family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Mayes, 
a son, James H., aged 16, very much resembling his 



240 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

father in looks and disposition; a daughter, Mary L., 
who bade fair to be a handsome and accomplished wo- 
man, at that time 14 years or more old ; a son Noble of- 
11, and Virginia, an infant of 1 year. They were a 
happy family and very much respected and loved. Mr. 
Mayes was a serious minded man and rarely ever joked, 
but he was not one of the "killjoy" kind; he could for- 
get his own troubles to try to give pleasure to you. 

In 1857 Mrs. Mayes died of tuberculosis, supposed to 
have been acquired waiting on Dr. M. C. Parker during 
his illness. In 1859 the daughter Mary died of the same 
disease. 

James Hamilton Mayes was a railroad man. He died 
at Atlanta, Ga., July 7, 1870. 

He m. Leila Viola Stoy, of Atlanta, October 20, 1868. 
They had a son, James Herbert, who w^as b. June 13, 
1870; d. in Augusta, Ga., in 1906. He m. Ellen Roach 
April 11, 1894. Their children wre : ^-j- 

Lelia, b. Mav 10, 1895; Franc§, b. Februarvy, 1898; 
3ft NXE^^fofao, Herbert, 'b. AprillOrl901. ^ ^ 

Noble Irving Maginnis,' second son of H. and N. Mayes 
was b. at Sweetwater May 6, 1845; m. Bettie Cornelia 
Goddard, oldest child of J. W. G. (whom see). They re- 
sided in Sweetwater for several years and then moved 
to Plainville, Ga. In 1885 they moved to Chattanooga. 
Mrs. Mayes died in Chattanooga on November 18, 1915. 
Children of N. I. and Bettie C. Maves were : 

1. Belle Goddard, b. September 24, 1872 ; m. AVm. G. 
Hartley July 31, 1901. 

2. Margaret Bland, b. June 8, 1874. She is a D. D. S. 
Formerly worked in Dr. S. B. Cook's office, Chattanooga. 

3. James Henry, b. at Chattanooga, January 20, 1877. 
Was killed in a railroad accident on December 6, 1889. 

4. Mildred Louise, b. August 25, 1889 ; m. Thos. W. 
Miller, of Columbia, S. C, on November 12, 1913. 

The fifth child of H. and N. M. Mayes was E. Virginia; 
m. Captain J, P. Edmondson (then) of Blount County, 
September 5, 1885. He was b. October 16, 1844. Was 
sheriff of Blount County August 1872-6. Department 
TJ. S. revenue collector 1880-5. Postmaster at Marvville 
1890-4. Moved to Knoxville 1901. Residence, 1319 High- 
land Avenue. His wife E. V. E. d. at residence October 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAliLEY 241 

10, 1910; buried old Gray Cemetery. One child Irene 
d. January 5, 1914; aged 16 years and 5 months. 

Henry Mayes' Second Marriage. 

Mr. Mayes' second wife was Mrs. Ada Treadway. They 
w^ere married at Athens, Tenn., April 6, 1860. She was 
the daughter of Peter Eeagan, a half brother of Greneral 
J. H. Reagan's father. (See J. H. Reagan Sketches.) 

Henry Mayes was particularly fortunate in both his 
marriages. When he married Mrs. Treadway, he had 
been deprived by disease of his first wife and eldest 
daughter, Mary, who had gotten to be of an age when 
she could have been a great help and comfort to him. 
He had a family mIio sorely needed a mother and the 
second Mrs. Mayes filled the place as well as any one 
could. True he had slaves at the time who could do the 
house and farm work but even then there were rumors of 
war and insurrections that caused a feeling of uneasi- 
ness through the South as regards that kind of property. 
John Brown had already made his raid on Harper's 
Ferry, been captured by Colonel Lee, been tried, dis- 
posed of and was being sung about. As has been stated 
in 1860 Mr. Mayes married Mrs. Treadway. She was 
such a capable, lovely woman as rendered the conditions 
during the Civil War and the reconstruction period 
much more tolerable to him. He was a rebel or southern 
sympathizer, but was exceedingly prudent in his conver- 
sation and conduct. He did not fall out with others for 
a difference of opinion. He desired that the Union men 
should be protected in life and property during the oc- 
cupanc}^ of the country by the Confederate army. To 
keep free of malice and passion was no easy thing to do 
when this section was occupied by first one and then an- 
other and continually fought over. 

Tlie feeling was sometimes stronger between the non- 
combatants at home than between the soldiers in the 
army. The rancor became so great in some sections of 
East Tennessee that it amounted to a system of reprisal 
and extermination. This however was happily not the 
case in the town of Sweetwater and the comitry imme- 
diately surrounding. At the " breaking out of the war 
the town had about 400 inhabitants. It remained about 



242 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

the same during the war. When the hostilities of ar- 
mies were practically over the troubles of rebels were by 
no means ended. Then came the reconstruction period. 
Then none but men of approved loyalty were allowed 
to vote or sit on juries. The administration of justice 
was a one-sided affair. Even Mr. Mayes, whose well- 
known Christian spirit did not suffer him at any time 
willingly to give offense to others, was harassed by dam- 
age suits in the courts. Nor had he or any of his fam- 
ily ever engaged actively in the rebellion. What partial- 
ly saved him from being broken up was not this, but the 
fact that the plaintiffs in the causes never had had any- 
thing to be taken by rebel raiders, and in many instances 
the cases were put off until there was a change in the 
complexion of affairs. Tbe real horror of war is that 
when the fighting is done the evil results last for a cen- 
tury. 

Henry Mayes, I understood, was not a highly educated 
man but there was nothing rough about his conversation 
or manners. He would not have attempted to discuss the 
binomial theorem, or solve examples by logarithm or 
compute the age of the world by its geological forma- 
tions; but he never used such expressions as "I taken," 
''I seen," ''me and him" did so and so, please "set 
down," though it is possible he may have said "ain't;" 
fairly well educated people do that sometimes. 

He was a remarkably close observer of animals, plants 
and weather conditions, and had a retentive memory. I 
recollect distinctly of his explaining to me the meaning 
of the passage in Ecclesiastes : "The wind goeth to- 
ward the south and turneth about unto the north; it 
whirleth about continually ; and the wind returneth again 
according to his circuit. ' ' The explanation was that the 
wind turns to the right like the hands of a clock and goes 
from the south to the north by way of the west and then 
to the south by the east. It usually travels the half cir- 
cuit from the north to the south more quickly than that 
from the south to the north. If the direction of the wind 
is from the west, it is almost certain to come from the 
north before coming from the east. He also called my 
attention to the fact that whirlwinds and whirlpools 
gyrate in the same manner. Such things as these, not 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 243 

then found in books, was what he frequently told me and 
interested me much. 



Much of Sweetwater on Mayes' Land. 

The town Sweetwater is built, much of it, on the Mayes 
land. A line drawn from the middle of the Heiskell 
lane on the east side of town to the middle of the public 
road, going west toward Pond Creek, would show the 
division line between the Mayes and Lenoir lands. Hen- 
ry Mayes died at Sweetwater on August 13, 1873. 

Mrs. Ada Reagan Mayes. 

Miss Ada Reagan was born at Rome, Ga., December 
1, 1828. She married Thos. J. Treadway, January 23, 
1851. He died November 3, 1856. Mrs. Treadway mar- 
ried Henry Mayes on April 10, 1860. She died at Ashe- 
ville, N. C, on May 5, 1901. 

Cuba Treadway was born February 8, 1855. He was 
a railroad man. He died August 20, 1885. 

Oscar Reagan Mayes was born April 10, 1861. His 
post-office is Hurst, 111. 

Carrie Lee Mayes was born at Sweetwater on Septem- 
ber 16, 1863. She married John H. Weaver, of Ashe- 
ville, N. C, November 22, 1888. Dr. E. E. "Wiley of- 
ficiating, Mr. Weaver, formerly of Weaverville, is a 
prominent merchant of Asheville, N. C. Their residence 
is 119 Cumberland Avenue. 

The children of Jno. H. and Carrie Lee Weaver are: 

1. Eugene Mayes Weaver, b. March 22, 1891 ; m. Mrs. 
Lillian Daniels Dryser. 

(1) By this marriage one child, Oliver Dryser. He 
died and she m. E. Mayes W. Children of this mar- 
riage are: 

(1) Constance Alene, b. March, 1914. 

(2) Lillian Doris, 1916. 

2. Henry Cedric, b. November 24, 1894. In mailing 
department New York Times. 

3. Mary Adalena, b. November 28, 1897. 

4. Carrie Lee, b. September 15, 1900. 



244 history of sweetwater valley 

The Taylors. 

Hughes and Betsey Cannon Tajdor, liis wife, came 
from Virginia and settled in Grainger County. They 
reared a family of twelve children: 

H. Woodson, Elika Adams, Mrs. Emma Witt, Grant, 
Mrs. Eliza Boatwright, Jabin Snow (see Fine), Mrs. 
Rachel Witt, Mrs. Amanda Patton (see Francis A. Pat- 
ton), Thomas, Elbert E., Mrs. Edna (name of 

husband not known to writer). 

Elika Adams, second son of Hughes and Betsy Can- 
non Taylor, was born in Grainger County, Tenn,, July 
30, 1811. He married Elizabeth Mayes, March 30, 1830, 
in Grainger County, who was born February 4, 1813; 
died February 26, 1889. Her father was James Mayes. 
Her mother's maiden name was Jane Howel. Mrs. E. 
Taylor was a sister of Henry Mayes, of Sweetwater. 

They moved from Grainger County to Pond Creek 
Valley in the first civil district of Monroe County in 
1839 or 1840. He resided there until his death on May 
10, 1903, in the 92nd year of his age. 

There is a deed of record at Madisonville, Book ' ' NK, ' ' 
p. 487, of a purchase of 80 acres of land from John Glaze 
by E. A. Tajdor, the same having been bought by him 
(Glaze) of Lindsay Roberts. The date of the deed is 
January 27, 1840. 

In September, 1842, E. A. Taylor and wife Elizabeth, 
were received by experience into the Baptist church on 
Pond Creek. This church was located about one mile 
south of the Taylor residence. The membership of this 
church afterward met in the town of Sweetwater and 
the name was changed to the "First Baptist Church at 
Sweetwater. ' ' 

It is related in the church records of the then Pond 
Creek Baptist Church that they were baptized in Sweet- 
water Creek near John Fine's. Presumably the rite 
was performed b}'' Rev. Robt. Snead as he was acting as 
pastor of the church at the time. The reason the bap- 
tism took place in Sweetwater Creek was that there was 
not ''much water" in Pond Creek especially at that 
time of the year. 

In March, 1845, E. A. Taylor became clerk and was 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 245 

clerk of the church until October, 1860, when his son, 
William H. Taylor, was elected church clerk in his place. 

In June, 1854, the church decided to huild a house of 
worship in the town of Sweetwater, which was then be- 
ginning to be a place of some importance, hoping there- 
by to largely increase their membership. Mr. Taylor 
was one of the active members in bringing about this 
change. However, the church house was not completed 
until the fall of 1860. The first record of meeting in it 
was the first Saturday in December, 1861. At this meet- 
ing Thos. D. and Martha L. Taylor joined the church 
and Wm. H. Taylor was church clerk. 

In the year 1861 at the outbreak of the Civil War El- 
der Hughes Taylor, of Beach Spring in Grainger Coun- 
ty, w^as pastor ; his brother, E. A. Taylor, was a deacon. 
Wm. H. Taylor was church clerk and Elizabeth, Wood- 
son, Thos. b., Martha L., and Minerva Taylor, were 
members of the church. There joined the church after- 
ward of the Taylors — James H., Mrs. Emily S., Zach- 
ary, Eliza, Sarah, Elizabeth and William. 

E. A. Taylor as a clerk kept the books of the church 
neatly, correctly and in good diction. The same was the 
case of two sons who afterward were also clerks, viz: 
Wm. H. and James H. 

E. A. Taylor was an educated man in this sense, that 
education consists more in the ability to appl}" what you 
know to the duties and circumstances of life than the 
amount of knowledge acquired. Wlien he (E. A. Tay- 
lor) knew anything, he knew it as well as anybody could 
know it. He could converse on the Bible as interesting- 
ly as any one I have ever known. He w^as an authority 
on Baptist doctrine. He was also one of the most pro- 
gressive farmers in all this section of country. Being a 
reader and having a receptive mind he could not help 
but be versed in the political history of the nation. He 
was a fluent talker and was never at a loss for a word. 
He was always enthusiastic in the advocacy of what he 
believed. He w^as always anxious for others to believe 
as he did. Usually one who wears himself out in the 
reformation or service of others does not attain to old 
age. He is a notable exception to this rule. 

In the presidential election of 1896 he came to Sweet- 



246 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

water three and one-half miles to vote. He remarked at 
the polls that the first ballot he ever cast was for Wil- 
liam Henry Harrison and that he took great pleasure in 
casting the last ballot he ever expected to cast for Wm. 
J. Bryan. He was then more than 86 years of age. I 
told him I hoped that he would live to cast a ballot for 
Mr. Bryan again. This he did and when he came to the 
polls in 1900 I reminded him of what he said four years 
previous. But he did not live to vote for Bryan the 
third time. 

He was a teetotaller by practice and none of his five 
sons ever drank at all except one and he very rarely. 
Yet I do not think I ever heard him discuss the question 
of prohibition. Hov/ever he preferred charges against 
one of the members of his church for being intoxicated. 
The member was excluded and his quotation of the pas- 
sage ''Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow ye die" 
did not save him. The church did not interpret the 
Scripture as the offending brother interpreted it. 

The children of E. A. and Elizabeth Taylor were : 

One. James Hughes, born March 21, 1831; died in 
the summer of 1876. 

Two. Woodson, born September 22, 1833 ; died March 
— , 1912. 

Three. William Henry, born February 4, 1836; died 
June 26, 1914. 

Four. Thomas Daniel, born September 29, 1838; died 
October 6, 1902. 

Five. Martha Louisa, born April 6, 1841. 

Six. Mary Elizabeth, born February 4, 1844. 

Seven. Zachary , born November 14, 1849 ; 

died August 9, 1914. 

Eight. Eliza, born December 28, 1859. 

Two. Woodson Taylor m. Emily Palmer, then of 
Sweetwater May 8, 1867. Rev. Snead Minister. She 
was a younger sister of Mrs. W. L. Clark and was born 
in New York. 

Woodson T. was a farmer. He went to Grainger Coun- 
ty on Holston River soon after marriage. His wife died 
October, 1915. Their children were: 

Mrs. Mary Sheldon (dead), of Kentucky; William 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 247 

Elika, Frank Palmer, Geo. Elbert, Elizabeth Cleveland, 
and Ernest. A daughter, the youngest, died in infancy. 
Mary married a distant relative, Claude Taylor. The 
T'ayior home is at Jefferson City, where Frank and Eliz- 
abeth still live. 

One. James Hughes Taylor was first married to Sa- 
rah Warren of Iowa, who died leaving two children, Mrs. 
Lizzie McAmis, of Ash Grove, Mo., and William H., of 
Columbus, Miss. His second wife was Mary Minnis, of 
Madisonville, Tenn. Died at Elika Taylor's home Sep- 
tember 12, 1915. Left two children : Mrs. Fannie Aren- 
dall and John Quincy, both of Atlanta, Ga. 

William Henry Taylor came to Sweetwater and went 
into the mercantile business with Joseph Boyd, brother 
of Mrs. J. C. Vaughn in a part of the old hotel building 

in 1854 or 1855. He married F Adelia Brad- 

shaw of Towns Comity, Ga., on July 5, 1859, A. H. Bark- 
ley, minister. After the Civil War he did business in 
Atlanta, Ga,, as a commission merchant. He came back 
to Tennessee. He was a farmer in Grainger County. 

He went to Paris, T'ex^is, in the year He died 

in Paris, Texas, and was interred there. She was a 
Methodist. She was a sister of Lieutenant Nicholas 
Bradshaw who married Miss Sallie Brown, daughter of 
Judge Geo. Brown of Madisonville. 

The children of Wm. H. and F. A. Taylor were : 

Frank, Charles, Robert, Bettie, Flora, Edward, Pearl, 
Libby, Hugh, Henry and Lucy. Bettie married John J. 
Browder, son of J. M. Browder (whom see). 

Martha Louisa married Hugh C. McCammon, of Boul- 
der, Cpl., on April 21, 1874. He was born in Knox Coun- 
ty. After moving to Colorado he was a miner and 
farmer and was a member of the Legislature at one time. 
He died at Boulder. Their children were : 

Blanche, who married Setli M. Thomas, of Boulder, 
and Anna, who married Horace Griffin of that place. 
Their son, Hugh, lives at Black Hawk, Col. Their third 
daughter was named Olive. 

Mary Elizabeth was b. February 4, 1844; m. Sam M. 
Thomas on February 18, 1869. He was the son of 
of Kentucky, and was a brother of Mrs. 



248 HISTOfiY OF SWEETWATER VAUL,EY 

Sterling Neil. They moved first to Trenton, Tenn., then 
to Collins County, Texas, filially to San Saba County. 
Post-office, Brownwood, Texas. There are two children 
now (1915) living: Welin, post-office, Denver, Col., and 
Gardner. 

Eight. Eliza iii. AVill Thomas, son of John L. Thomas, 
December 10, 1890. He (W. T.) was b. in McMinn Coun- 
ty, March, 1866; d. December 3, 1915. He was a very 
zealous and efficient member of the First Baptist Church, 
Sweetwater, and was a noted teacher in the Sunday- 
school. He and his wife resided during married life at 
the old E. A. Taylor place. He farmed the land as in- 
telligently and industriously as his father-in-law. Chil- 
dren five in number : Harold, b. January 12, 1893 ; Jen- 
nie Valeria, b. September 10, 1894, d. September 3, 1897 ; 
Blanche Elizabeth, b. December 21, 1896; Ruby and Ruth 
were twins, b. August 3, 1898. 

Mrs. Eliza Brewster 

Was the daughter of James and Jane Howel Mayes, 
of Grainger County, Tenn. She w^as born April 8, 1838. 
She was a sister of Henry Mayes and of Mrs. E. A. Tay- 
lor. She married John Brewster from her home Octo- 
ber 15, 1857. 

He was b. in Virginia, February 7, 1828. He was a 
stock trader. He was supposed to have been lost in a 
steamboat disaster on the Mississippi River. She moved 
to Sweetwater from Grainger County early in 1867. 
Their children were : 

(1) Ora was born in Grainger County, November 15, 
1858. She was a noted piano player and music teacher. 
She taught at Thomasville and at Shelby, N. C. She had 
the gift of absolute pitch. She could tell instantly what 
note was struck on any instrument. On a piano that 
she was accustomed to and in good tune she could tell by 
ear and name each note without seeing the piano as many 
as eight notes struck simultaneously, whether chords or 
dischords. She was an accomplished sight reader of 
music and also could reproduce any short piece of music 
that she heard if allowed to go to the piano at once, but 
nothing like the lengthy productions Blind Tom could. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VA1,L.EY 249 

She played for Blind Tom once at a performance. In 
playing the piece after her probably as much as five 
minutes long she said that he made a good many changes 
especially in the cadenzas but that some of them might 
have been just as good as the author's idea. The tempo 
of the piece as played by Blind Tom was slightly more 
rapid than Miss Brewster's. I have heard him I think 
as many as four times and he was more successful in 
reproducing Miss Brewster's piece than that of any 
other. 

At Shelby, N. C, while teaching there Miss B. got 
acquainted with Charles C, Blanton and they were mar- 
ried in Sweetwater July 15, 1885. She died in Atlanta, 
January 17, 1890. He is a resident of Shelby, N. C. 

(2) Mary Brewster was born in Grainger County, 
Tenn., May 14, 1861. Slie died in Sweetwater, February 
7, 1873. 

(3) Valeria (Vallie) was b. in Grainger County, July 
31, 1865. She married A. R. Melendy, D. D. S. of the firm 
of Cook & Melendy, June 30, 1884. Parents of one son, 
Melville B. Melendy, who was born in Sweetwater, Au- 
gust 21, 1886. Dr. and Mrs. Melendy moved to Knox- 
ville. She died there November 16, 1910. 

M. B. Melendy married Miss Eleanor Darcy, of New 
York City. 
Mrs. Brewster resides in Shelby, N. C. 

The Manis Family. 

The information below was gotten from James Har- 
vey Manis in Sweetwater, in 1912. He had no records 
with him and the information is from his memory: 

Ephraim Manis, father of John, Harvey and George 
and those given, came from. Hawkins County to this sec- 
tion about 1819. He died at the age of 87 years. His 
children were : 

William, b. 1822. AVent to California in 1849. Lives 
in Oregon. 

John, b. 1824. Married Randolph. 

Sarah Ann, b. 1826. Married Cooper. 

George, b. 1832. Lives at Gudger. Married. Has 
large family. Served as a soldier in the Confederate 
army. 



250 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

James Harvey, b. January 15, 1836. 

Esther, b. 1838. Married John Pryor. Lives in Mc- 
Minn County, Tenn. 

Joseph, b.'l840; d. 1909. 

James Harvey Manis married Lucinda Randolph Feb- 
ruary 15, 1867. He had served through the war in the 
Confederate army. He was a farmer. Their children 
were: Isham G. Harris, b. December, 1867. Lives in 
Oklahoma; Bettie and Callie died young; Dosia mar- 
ried Alex McAmis, lives in McMinn ; Sallie, married 

Tallent ; Mary, married Duncan, lives 

in Oklahoma; Mattie, married McCosh, lives 

in Oklahoma; Joe, lives in the first district of McMinn 
County; Annie, dead; Harriette, married Connor and 
lives in Oklahoma; James Harvey, died in youth. 

The Martins. 

John Martin was born June 29, 1779 ; d. November 29, 
1841. His son, Hugh E., was born February 25, 1809, 
and died January 3, 1857. He married Mary Griffitts 
of Blount County, a sister of Mrs. John Ramsey. Mary 
Griffitts was born April 17, 1819, and died February 28, 
1907. They are both buried at Philadelphia. 

Hugh E. Martin owned a large farm about midway be- 
tween Philadelphia and Sweetwater. Their children 
were : 

1 . William Edward, who died at Vicksburg, Miss., in 
1863. 

2. James G., d, near Chattanooga in 1913. He was 
a soldier in the Confederate army during the Civil War. 
He married Mary McPherson of Meigs County. Their 
children were: Annie, Jennie and Margaret, who died 
in early life; Hugh, lives at Evansville, Tenn., m. Mc- 
Pherson. They have nine sons. Joe, Jack and Bertie 
(Mrs. Johnson) live in Chattanooga; Georgia, lives at 
Tasso, Tenn., where he is agent for the Southern Rail- 
way Company,, and is a merchant. He married Maude 
Woods, of Concord, Tenn. They have thre6 children, 
Elizabeth, George C., Jr., and Catherine. 

3. Margaret, daughter of Hugh E. ; m. Thomas Har- 
ris, who was a carpenter and farmer. Their children 
were: William Ramsey, d; Mary Elizabeth, d; Hugh 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 251 

Alexander and Charles M., who live in Chattanooga, 
Tenn. 

4. Elizabeth, b. September 12, 1851; m. Dr. Thomas 
Arrants, of Decatur, Tenn., on August 29, 1876. Their 
children were: Artie, b. 1879. W. H., b. November 18, 
1881. He took a literary course at the University of 
Tennessee and a medical course at the University of 
Nashville. He married Hulah Cowan, of Covington, 
Tex. He is a practising physician at Sweetwater, Tenn. 
Sam. H., third child of lElizabeth Arrants, b. October 18, 
1884 ; is a farmer in Meigs County, Lizzie Crate, fourth 
child of Elizabeth Arrants, b. February 24, 1888. 

5. Susan, fifth child of Hugh E. Martin ; m. Eli Cleve- 
land. See Clevelands. 

6. Harle, d. about 1908. Unmarried. 

7. George, b. December 3, 1853 ; m. Mary Davis. Ad- 
dress, 1313 Indiana Avenue, Spokane, Wash. 

8. Hugh, died in early manhood. 

Thomas J. Moore 

Was born at Kingston, Tenn., January 9, 1824, the son 
of John Moore and Susan Moore. (This Susan Moore 
was the sister of Ann Moore who married Solomon Bo- 
gart, whom see.) Thomas J. Moore, married (first) 
Elizabeth Martin Cannon, b, June 11, 1822, daughter of 
Robert and Ann Galbraith Cannon, of Philadelphia, 
Tenn., in about 1846. He moved to that place when a 
young man. After the completion of the East Tennes- 
see and Georgia Railroad he was agent there for that 
company for a number of years. After that he worked 
in the general offices of railroad company at Knoxville 
almost up to the time of his death. In 1871 he moved to 
Sweetwater, where he purchased a part of the Chas. 
Cannon farm, just southwest of the town. He died there 
on March 2, 1875, and was buried at Philadelphia. The 
children of T. J. and Elizabeth C. Moore were: 

Octavia, b. November 8, 1847 ; d. July 8, 1886, and was 
buried at Philadelphia. 

Ann, b. June 20, 1850. 

Robert Cannon, b. November 24, 1853. Unmarried. 
Lives at Sweetwater, Tenn. 

J. Charles, b. May 5, 1856. 



252 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Ann Moore married George McKnight at Sweetwater 
on November 16, 1885. He was born June 12, 1844. He 
was depot agent at Sweetwater for a great number of 
years for the Southern Railway and its predecessors. 
He afterwards bought the Biggs farm near there. In 
May, 1905, he purchased a farm three miles west of 
Charleston, Tenn., and moved there. He sold this place 
in August, 1912, and moved to Cleveland, Tenn., where 
he now lives. Their children were: 

George M., b. August 21, 1886; d. January 15, 1915. 

Robert Cannon, b. August 19, 1888. He is a phar- 
macist living at Los Angeles, Cal. 

J. Charles Moore, married Sarah Bachman, daughter 
of Nathan and Sarah Cunningham Bachman, on June 
15, 1893, the Rev. Nathan Bachman, officiating. Charles 
Moore is a member of the Presbyterian church. He is a 
certified public accountant and auditor. The children 
of Charles and Sarah Moore are: 

Charles Bachman, b. April 5, 1894; Nathan Thomas, 
b. May 31, 1896; Laurence, b. August 6, 1902, and Robert 
Cannon, b. October 25, 1907. 

J. Charles Moore lives at Knoxville, Tenn. 

Thomas J. Moore, married (second) Rowena Brown, 
the daughter of the Rev. Thos. Brown, of Philadelphia, 
Tenn. Thomas Brown, M. G. Their children were: 

Susan, b. March 31, 1869, at Philadelphia, Tenn. 

Thomas J., b. October 21, 1874, at Sweetwater, Tenn. 

Susan Moore was married to J. B. Sizer at Sweet- 
water March 8, 1888. He was born at Newark, N. J., 
on April 12, 1861. He is a lawyer and first practised in 
Sweetwater. In the year of 1890 he moved to Chatta- 
nooga and became a member of the firm of Pritchard & 
Sizer. After the death of Mr. Robert Pritchard he be- 
came a partner of Mr. Chambliss. He has a very lucra- 
tive practice. The children of J. B. and Susan Sizer 
are: 

Margaret Moore, b. Januarv 8, 1889; Rowena Brown, 
b. June 1, 1891 ; Hilda Wade, b. October 13, 1893 ; Mary 
Helen, b. October 12, 1896; James Burnett, b. March 9, 
1899 ; Octavia, b. June 26, 1901, and Anthony DeSosieur, 
b. March 10, 1909. 

Margaret Moore Sizer was married to Alexander 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 253 

Chambliss, of Chattanooga, on January 5, 1910. He is a 
lawyer. They reside at Chattanooga. 

Thomas J., youngest son of Thomas J. and Rowena 
Moore, was born October 21, 1874. On July 10, 1912, he 
married Helen Swalm, of Colorado Springs, Col. She 
died at Chattanooga January 6, 1915. He is a manu- 
facturer in Chattanooga. 

Hoist. Matthew Nelson. 

The following was taken from a sketch of his life in 
possession of Mr. M. M. Nelson, of Knoxville, Tenn. It 
was written by his grandmother, the wife of Matthew 
Nelson. She was, if I mistake not, a sister of Robt. Can- 
non of Roane County, who lived the latter part of his 
life near Philadelphia on what is still known as the Can- 
non place. She was born April 19, 1784, and died April 
26, 1862. She and her husband were both buried in the 
Presbyterian cemetery near Philadelphia. The sketch 
referred to is so well written that it is copied almost 
entire. 

Matthew Nelson, Sr., was born iii Rockbridge County, Virginia, 
October 17, 1778. His father migrated to (what was afterward) this 
State whilst it was a territory and was a sharer, first, in the Revo- 
lutionary War and then in the Indian war. (Note — He was too young 
to have fought in the Revolution, but remembered it as a spectator.) 
He was the oldest of a family of eight children and was taught the 
rudiments of learning by an old maiden aunt, who had become much, 
attached to him on account of his aptness to learn. Slates being 
scarce in those hard times, she procured a piece of slate-stone and 
with a pencil of the same material she set copies for him. She used 
to say to her sister in her good old Scotch-Irish dialect: "Matthew 
is a fine boy and shows signs of talents." He never was at school 
but three months, yet notwithstanding his disadvantages he had so 
far advanced as to be employed to teach a small school at the age 
of seventeen years. About the year 1799 or 1800 he went to Kingston, 
where he worked at his trade (that of carpenter), and resided in 
Roane County until his marriage (to Miss Martha Cannon) on the 
20th of August, 1803. Shortly afterward they settled in Kingston, 
where, by his honest labors and moral habits, he gained the confi- 
dence of all who knew him. 

In 1813 he was elected representative (to the General Assembly) 
from Roane County. During the session he was made treasurer of 
East Tennessee. He then moved to Knoxville. He entered upon the 
duties of his office January 13, 1814. These duties he discharged 
with scrupulous care and fidelity for fourteen years. About 1816 
he went into partnership in the mercantile line with the late worthy 
James Campbell, of Knoxville. At the close of the term of partner- 
ship, he continued the business alone for a number of years. During 



254 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VA1.LEY 

his term of oflfice as treasurer, the public lands in the Hiwassee Dis- 
trict were subjected to sale, and the treasurer was required to super- 
intend the sale. For this service the law allowed him two per cent 
commission on the gross proceeds of the sale, and all the emoluments 
and perquisites of his office instead of a stated salary. The land sales 
were large, and in one year his commission amounted to six or seven 
thousand dollars. He believed that the Legislature contemplated no 
such large compensation to the treasurer, and acting upon this con- 
viction he paid over to the treasury all but fifteen hundred dollars, 
which he reserved to himself as an honest compensation. 

Honesty in theory is no rarity among men; but we see here the 
man that acted it out in practice in its length thereof and in its 
breadth thereof. 

On the 25th of December, 1828, he left Knoxville with his family 
and arrived at Philadelphia on the 1st of December, 1829, ,and settled 
on his farm to spend the remainder of his days in peace and quiet- 
ness, but his public course was not finished. He was shortly made 
justice of the peace, giving satisfaction to all parties in all cases of 
law. His motto was law and justice. In 1844 he was elected treasurer 
of the State of Tennessee. He went to Nashville with the deter- 
mination to know nothing among them but truth and honesty. During 
his residence in Nashville the Lord wrought a good and gracious 
work in his soul, and on the 11th of March, 1845, he joined the 
Second Presbyterian church of that city, which was under the pastoral 
care of Dr. Lapsley. 

On the 5th of November, 1845, he was voted out of office, and 
gave it up with as much ease as David laid aside Saul's armor, be- 
lieving it to be a bar to his spiritual interest. 

On April 2, 1846, he left Nashville, and, on the 7th, arrived at his 
residence in Philadelphia. He was invited by his friends to resume 
his seat as justice of the peace, which had been vacant for two years. 
He held this office from that time until his death, which occurred 
on December 1, 1852. 

Domestic Habits. 

He never was an early riser; generally lay until called up by 
the breakfast bell. Owing, I suppose, to his having both legs broken 
when young and which remained painful at times all his life. His 
temper was rather rough of a morning, but a cup of coffee generally 
brought on a sweet calm. He paid but little attention to what he 
ate. He seldom could tell an hour after meal what he had eaten. He 
was rather slovenly in his dress. Candor and punctuality marked his 
way. His family generally knew where he was and what he was 
about. He never aspired after a great name, but if honesty and 
sound piety make a part of great men he had a large share of the 
best kind of wisdom. The path of the just is as a shining light "that 
shines more and more until the perfect day." For the last few years 
of his life his Bible and family altar were to him as the precious 
dews of heaven. He never neglected these until worn out by age 
and affliction. His last illness was long and painful, but he bore his 
suffering with Job-like patience. 

His long and useful life closed on the 1st of December, 1852. 
"Mark the perfect man and behold the upright, for the end of that 
man is peace." 

From this sketch, which I believe is truthful, it is evi- 
dent that the Hon. Matthew Nelson was a very remark- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALIjEY 255 

able and exceptional man. He was a warm personal and 
political friend. of my father, I. T. Lenoir. They both 
were wliigs. I. T. Lenoir was a member from Roane 
County in the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth General 
Assemblies of the state. Mr. Nelson was a representa- 
tive from the same comity in 1813. Mr. Lenoir was an 
ardent and influential supporter of Mr. Nelson for state 
treasurer and was among the first to suggest his mak- 
ing the race. He had a very high opinion of Mr. Nel- 
son's ability and integrity. He made as good a treasurer 
as the state ever had. Mrs. Nelson's saying ''that he 
was voted out of office" (treasurer) merely means that 
the complexion of the Legislature had changed from 
whig in 1843 to democratic in 1845. Aaron V. Brown, 
Democrat, had also beaten Foster, whig, for governor. 
Therefore Nelson failed of re-election as treasurer. He 
had been as accurate in his accounts as state treasurer 
as he had been for the sale of lands in East Tennessee, 
and as well prepared to settle and vacate. Li conduct- 
ing the land sales in East Tennessee he could have made 
himself immensely wealthy, not only by collecting the 
fees allowed him, but agreeing with the purchasers to 
turn over to him the lands so bought for stipulated sums, 
erecting a man of straw as a go-between, practically 
thus purchasing the lands he desired from himself at 
his own price. Our modern financiers of the Guggen- 
heimer type would not have asked for a better chance. 
But he came out of it all rather a poor man and bought 
not as much probably as he would otherwise have done. 

It has been related under the caption of General James 
H. Reagan, that he was one of the first in this section 
to grant a right of way to the E. T. & G. R. R. Co., when 
after a description according to grant, he adds: ''The 
land upon which I now reside and on which the town of 
Philadelphia is located." 

Taking his career as an example it may well be doubted 
whether ideal "honesty is the best policy" to pursue to 
accumulate wealth or for a successful financial career. 
Mr. Nelson had almost unlimited opportunities inside 
the law to become rich but he failed to take advantage 
of them. No doubt resisting temptation to do what he 
considered would be wrong gave him greater satisfac- 



256 HISTOBY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

tion than to be able to draw a valid check for many thous- 
ands acquired dishonestly or in ways to which suspicion 
might attach. His policy of ''letting his family know 
where he was and what he was about" no doubt in his 
case was a peacemaker and a worry-saver ; but adopted 
by the average husband would be about as likely to cause 
trouble as to prevent it. Would it not be better some- 
times to use a little diplomacy in the matter! 

Mrs. Nelson's tribute to the beneficent influence of a 
cup of coffee upon the feeli-ngs and temper of her hus- 
band would have been quite a blow to the postum busi- 
ness had there been any such at the time. But how the 
coffee men would have relished it ! And pray why should 
not the cotfee berry boiled in water produce as healthful 
and palatable a beverage as the rye and wheat berry? 

It will be interesting to note that the old house which 
Mr. Nelson built and resided in till his death is still 
standing. Its location is across the branch from W. C. 
Cannon's residence. 

The children of Matthew and Martha Nelson were : 

1. Lawrence, married Louisa Cannon (see Cannon). 
He died' 

2. Caroline, married John O. Cannon. John 0. C, Jr., 
their son, was reared by Matthew Nelson. 

3. Sydney C, married Robert Cleveland (see Cleve- 
lands). 

4. Eliza, married Dr. Blackburn, of New Market. One 
son, David B., who went to Oregon. 

5. Matthew, married McGaughey, of Athens, 

Tenn. He is dead. She is still (1916) living in Knox- 
ville. One son, Matthew N., merchant and accountant, 
Knoxville, Tenn. 

6. John D. 'He must have been something of a hu- 
morist. He obtained a license at Madisonville, Tenn., 
on the 1st of February, 1839, to marry Polly Maddy, 
They did not marry and he made the return: "No prop- 
erty found in my comity, J. D. Nelson, sheriff." How- 
ever, next time he had better luck. On the 20th of Au- 
gust, 1844, he obtained a license to marry Sarah D. Talia- 
ferro. They were duly married and moved to Texas. 

7. William Cannon, was born at Knox\dlle, Tenn., Sep- 
tember 16, 1821. He married Caroline Jones, born May 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 257 

26, 1826, daughter of Hardy Jones. He was a farmer 
and also conducted a tanyard. He lived in or near Phila- 
delphia most of his life. He died at Greeneville, Tenn. 
Their children were : 

1. Martha, b. November 24, 1843. Married Harris 
Tipton, of Morganton, Tenn., on September 29, 1867. He 
was the son of John B. Tipton and Louisiana Tipton. 
Their children were: Sydney, John B. (dead), Hope, 
Nelson, Lawrence and Bessie. 

2. Sydnev Caroline, b. Mav 29, 1846 ; d. July 21, 1861. 

3. David, b. June 2, 1848. Died in the west about 1912. 
He married Ida Shrader, of Loudon, Tenn., who died 
in the west a short time before her husband. David Nel- 
son was a lawyer and was a member of the Forty-sixth 
General Assembly, sixth senatorial district. He had an 
only daughter who is dead. 

4. Bettie Nelson, b. July 4, 1856. Married Charles 
Howard, of Greeneville, Tenn., on' October 17, 1882. 
Lives at Ocmulgee, Okla. 

5. John, b. June 29, 1858. Died in Oklahoma about 
1905. 

6. Annie, b. April 6, 1860. She married (first) Cicero 
Haynes, September 30, 1883. They had one daughter, 
Bessie Roe, married Howard. Mrs. Haynes married 
(second) Dr. C. Stearns, Two children, both dead. 

8. David, the youngest child of Matthew Nelson died 
while his father was state treasurer. 

Sterling Neil. 

The parents of Sterling Neil came from Virginia to 
this country. Sterling Neil was born in McMinn County 
on November 14, 1823. He married Miss Sallie Thomas, 
of Thompkinsville, Ky. She was born in West Tennes- 
see. Her parents were Samuel and Sallie Thomas. She 
died in 1880 at Fort Valley, Ga. 

Sterling Neil moved from McMinn County to his farm 
on the Athens road, one and one-half miles from Sweet- 
water, in 1849. They moved to Fort Valley, Ga., in 
1863. He left his farm in Sweetwater Valley in charge 
of his father-in-law when he went south on account of 
the Federal occupation. Owing to the absence of the 
real owner, the farm and house suffered more from dep- 



258 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

redation than it otherwise would. At Fort Valley he 
was a farmer and banker. He and his wife were both 
members of the Christian church. Their children were : 

1. Stella, b. August 11, 1852. 

2. John R., b. March, 1855. Lives at Fort Valley, Ga. 

3. Mary, b. December 13, 1858. 

4. Alice, b. December 24, 1861 ; d, at Athens, Tenn. 

5. Sam Thomas, b. February 6, 1864; m. Stella Harris. 
He died in January, 1869. 

1. Stella married J. C. Slappev, who was born Decem- 
ber 10, 1842, on December 14, 1859. Tliey live at Fort 
Valley, Ga. Their children are : 

(1) George A. Slappey, b. April 27, 1871. He m. Fan- 
nie Harris in 1891, who lived only a year. Eight years 
later he married Clara Visscher. They live at Fort Val- 
ley, Ga. 

(2) Beulah, b. December 22, 1872; m. W. H. Harris 
May 16, 1894. Address, Fort Vallev, Ga. 

(3) Alice, b. October 17, 1874; m. W. C. Black, Novem- 
ber 29, 1893. Address, Tampa, Fla. 

(4) Neil, b. September 18, 1876. Lives at Fort Val- 
ley, Ga. 

(5) Rubv, b. January 3, 1879 ; m. H. L. Harris, January 
10, 1898; d. Sparta, Ga., February 1, 1914. 

(6) Sterling, b. Januarv 4, 1881 ; m. Elmer Green, June 
14, 1904. Address, Fort'Valley, Ga. 

(7) Maude, b. October 27, 1888; m. R. C. Suder, April 
9, 1913. Address, Macon, Ga. 

(8) Gladys, b. January 23, 1895. 

2. Mary, second child of Sterling and Sallie Neil, was 
born near Sweetwater. She married Will C. Wester, of 
Chattanooga, Tenn., December 16, 1879. He was born 
on Half- Moon Island, Tenn., November 27, 1854. He is 
a fire insurance man. They have one child, Earl Neil 
Wester, who married Lucille Gerstle. 

Charles Owen. 

A cosmopolitan population makes a prosperous section 
and community, when there are not more *' undesirable 
citizens" as immigrants than can be readily assimilated. 
Tlie lessons of history, if I read them aright, inform us 
that, without the infusion of new blood into a nation, it 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 259 

degenerates and finally gives place to, or is overcome 
by, some other that is stronger or more aggressive. Our 
own section of country was peopled by those differing 
in customs and, in a measure, religion and descended 
from varied national ancestry. Those settling in our 
valley, so far as the states were concerned, came from 
Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and a few from 
each of the states of Maryland, Kentucky and South 
Carolina. As regards remoter ancestry we have the 
German Lotspeich, Pickel, Patton, Fry and Fryer; the 
English Cannon, Cleveland, Johnston, Mayes, Nelson 
and Yearw^ood; the Scotch Gregory, Neil, Ramsey and 
Wallis; the French Bogart, Berry, Fine, Goddard, Ju- 
lian, Lenoir and Rowan; the Irish Moore, Ragon, Rea- 
gan, Sligo and Scruggs; the "Welch Jones and Owen; 
the Norman-Dutch Heiskell, the Scotch-Irish McGuire. 

Most of the families did not come to this valley direct 
from the mother countries, but had undergone a process 
of fusion in other states before settling here. To this 
no doubt is attributed the absence of friction between 
citizens and neighbors. It has rarely happened that 
there has been a feud perpetuated in our immediate sec- 
tion. No Jews, Russians or Italians at first came to our 
vallev. You find in the records no names of people end- 
ing in '4o," ^'ini," ''ani," ''off," or "sky." There 
were no ''steins" or "bergs" or "schmidts" but how- 
ever there were a few plain Smiths. 

Those early settlers had no use for people who di- 
vided the world into just two classes: those of their 
own tribe and kindred and the others, the Gentiles, whom 
they thought the Lord did not consider his children and 
who were of the opinion that Moses was greater than 
Jesus Christ. They, the pioneers, had just as little use 
for those who took orders from any foreign potentate 
temporal or spiritual. They were all Protestants in re- 
ligion and mostly belonged to one of three churches: 
Baptist, Methodist or Presb^^terian. By Presbyterian 
we mean any branch of that great body. 

Thus the elements (the inhabitants) were so mingled 
as to make a palatable state of affairs. Like the French- 
man's drink, which he named a "dim contradiction, " it 
contained various ingredients : 



260 HISTORY OP SWEETWATER VALLEY 

''A little lemon to make it sour, 
A little sugar to make it sweet, 
A little ( i) liquor to make it strong, 
A little water to make it weak. ' ' 

The difference there was in manners, religion, political 
opinions and customs served only to make social condi- 
tions more pleasant and agreeable. 

Owen Owen. 

Owen Owen, of Northampton County ;, Penn., was the 
great grandfather of Charles Owen, of Sweetwater Val- 
ley. Owen Owen had a son, David Owen, who was born 
March 13, 1713. His will is of record at Easton Penn- 
s^dvania. His wife, Sarah, was born March 1, 1724. 
They were parents of ten children. Joseph Owen was the 
fifth son. He married Susan B. Hartsell July 24, 1771. 
They had seven children of whom Charles Owen, who 
came to Sweetwater Valley, was the second. 

Jesse Owen, brother of Charles Owen above, had a 
daughter, Sarah Wallace, born January 20, 1831. She 
married Samuel F. Hurt, of Abingdon, Va., on April 
12, 1859. Her daughter, Eosa Lee, born December 23, 
1868, married James W. Bell, of Abingdon, Va., April 
14, 1892. He is president of the First National Bank 
of Abingdon, Va. 

The eldest daughter of David Owen, was named 
Rachel, who married Samuel Bachman. It was thought 
she was the first of the Ow^ens to move South. Samuel 
Bachman settled in upper East Tennessee. 

Joseph Owen came to Tennessee between 1793 and 
1795, These facts about Charles Owen's ancestry were 
obtained from Mrs. James W. Bell, of Abingdon, Va. 

Charles Owen was born in Allegheny County, Penn., 
on December 29, 1793. He died at his residence near 
Sweetwater on September 6, 1873. 

Louisa Berrv, his wife, was born in Sullivan County, 
Tenn., on March 22, 1798. She died January 8, 1867. 
They both were buried in the old cemetery on the hill 
west of the town of Philadelphia, where the old Presby- 
terian church once stood. 

They wel-e married in Sullivan County on May 7, 1818. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 261 

The exact date they came to Sweetwater Valley is not 
known to me. The records both at Athens and Madison- 
ville show that he was a purchaser and made sales of 
lands as early as 1827. At Madisonville in Book "A," 
page 93, is found this conveyance: ''Chas. Matlock to 
Charles Owen 100 acres, part of tract, the northwest 
quarter of section 35, township 2, range 1, east. The 
residence he built on this tract is a brick house at the 
fork of the Pond Creek and Philadelphia roads, and 
south of the Tennessee Military Institute. This last 
named building is also on the Ciwen tract. This date 
(1827), without going back any further makes Charles 
Owen one of the pioneer settlers. 

The following record is found in the state archives at 
Nashville, Tenn. 

"In conformity to an act passed by the General Assembly of the 
State of Tennessee at Nashville, 3rd December, 1835, entitled an Act 
to provide for the laying off the several counties in this State into 
districts of convenient size, w^ithin vi^hich constables and justices of 
the peace shall be elected; and for other purposes, and also in con- 
formity with a resolution appointing commissioners for the several 
counties, we, William Bayless, John Callaway, Sr., Thomas L. Toomy 
and Jesse Cunningham, four of the commissioners appointed for 
Monroe County by said resolution, met at Madisonville, January 16, 
ISoo, and after being sworn, as said act directs, by Joseph Marshall, 
one of the acting justices of the peace for said county, proceeded to 
lay off said county into districts as directed by said act, beg leave 
to report seventeen districts in accordance with the sixth section of 
said act." 

(Boundaries of the First Civil District.) 

"No. 1 District. Beginning at the northwest corner of Monroe 
County, thence running with the line of Monroe and Roane Counties, 
to include Thomas Vernon, Esq.; th.ence a direct course to Dr. Gregory's 
mill on Sweetwater Creek; thence to Morganton road, leading by the 
farm of William Dillard; thence with the road leading from Dillard's 
to Gregory's Gap till you come within about two hundred yards of 
the Boiling Spring; thence a direct course to the county line between 
Monroe and McMinn Counties, passing between the dwelling house of 
E. Moore and James Axley, and between John Lotspeich and Wil- 
liam Neil; thence with the county line to the corner of Monroe County 
the beginning of the First District. Election Ground, Charles Owens." 

He was an elder in the Presbyterian church at Sweet- 
water when it was built. He was a farmer but was 
known more as a money loaner and broker (called ''note 
shaver" in those days) than as a farmer. He was con- 
sidered a good financier. 

It was well known that he was an anti-slavery man 
and thought it wrong to own slaves. The work on the 



262 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

farm was done by himself and family and sometimes with 
the aid of white hired help. Although his farm was not 
a very fertile one for this valley, he reared in comfort 
and educated one of the largest families in the section. 
Who his descendants were and what became of them 
we will give some account later on. 

Politically previous to the Civil War Charles Owen 
was a Democrat. One might have expected that from 
his views on the slavery question he would have allied 
himself with the whigs; for Henry Clay through the 
greater part of his political career was a gradual emanci- 
pationist. There was then no Republican party in the 
South. 

He was a man of probity and strong character. What- 
ever views he held political or religious he had no hesita- 
tion in expressing them. He was a Union man during 
the Civil War. 

Chaeles and Louisa Owen 

were the parents of fourteen children as follows : 

1. Sarah White Owen was born August 2, 1819. She 
married Hugh Lawson White Patton, December 12, 1837. 
They moved to Gentry County, Mo. While they were 
on a visit here he died on November 29, 1852. Charles 
O. Patton, of Albany, Mo., is a son of theirs. 

2. James White Owen was born January 22, 1822. He 
married Ann Amelia I\jrkpatrick, October 4, 1842. They 
had a daughter, Margaret, who was born near Sweet- 
water, August 14, 1846. She married Charles Cunnyng- 
ham, then of McMinn County, Tenn., but now of Albany, 
Mo., on May 9, 1867. They have a large family of chil- 
dren and grandchildren. 

Some time after the death of his first wife, J. W. Owen 
married Mary Jane Patton on June 4, 1856. They re- 
sided in Gentry County, Mo. He was county treasurer 
of that county four years and postmaster at Albany, 
Mo., for four years. He died in Dewey County, Okla- 
homa, July 15, 1906. There were four children of this 
second marriage, and each one of them has a Charles 
Owen in the family. Charles Owen, a son, resides at In- 
dependence, Okla. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 263 

3. Susanna Owen w^as born January 10, 1824, and died 
July 6, 1839. 

4. Joseph Marshall Owen was born in Sweetwater 
Valley, September 1, 1825. He married Mary M. Hill, 
granddaughter of John Fine, on August 28, 1849. There 
was one son, Charles LaFayette, who resides at Inde- 
pendence, Neb., on a Mexican war claim given his father 
by Charles Owen, the grandfather. J. M. Owen died in 
Gentry County, Mo., in 1851. 

Charles L. Owen is the father of six children. 

Mary M. Hill Owen was born in 1834. She died in 
Brownsville, Neb., in October, 1884. In 1856 she was 
married a second time. Wm. H. Lorance, who was born 
in Monroe County, Tenn., became her husband. To this 
union were born twelve children, six sons and three 
daughters of wiiom are still living (1914). 

6. Charles Lilburn Owen was born July 5, 1829. He 
married Mary Patton, daughter of Francis A. Patton 
and sister of Horace Patton and a half sister of Frank, 
James and Ann Patton whose mother was Amanda Tay- 
lor Patton. This Frank Patton, the father of Mary 
Patton, resided near County Line where C. D. Browder 
now lives. I do not know the maiden name of Frank 
Patton 's first wife, but his last wife, Amanda Taylor, 
was a sister of the late E. A. Taylor. C. L. Owen and wife 
went to Gentry County, Mo., where so many sought 
homes from this valley. They have a son, Charles, who, 
resides there. 

7. Louisa Owen was born April 6, 1831. She died May 
13, 1908. She married Horace H. Morris on November 
18, 1852. He died February 14, 1909.^ They resided, 
during their married life, one mile east of Reagan's Sta- 
tion in McMinn County. 

They reared a family of eight children, four sons and 
four daughters. 

Children of H. H. and Louisa Morris: 

Josephine, m. J. L. Lowe. She is dead. 

Hattie Florence married James Forrest Yearwood, 
September 11, 1879. She was born September 13, 1857. 
She resides at 419 Chicamauga Avenue, Lincoln Park, 
Knoxville, Tenn. 



264 HISTORY OP SWEET WATEB VALLEY 

Charles A., married Janie Dillingham, of Travis Coun- 
ty, Texas. He lives in Austin. 

Nannie Louise married Joseph Bogle. They live in 
Chattanooga. 

Walter L. married Elizabeth Forrest of Niota. Re- 
side in Austin, Texas. 

Edward married Dora Blanton. Live at Soddy, Tenn. 

Owen married Victoria Shell. They live in Knoxville. 
V 8. Jesse Franklin Owen was born April 4, 1833, and 
died November 7, 1895. He married Sarah P, Taylor 
on November 25, 1861. When a young man he went with 
W. L. Clark and others to California during the excite- 
ment about gold in that state. He returned previous to 
the Civil War. Li the conflict between the states he took 
the Union side and came out of the war a lieutenant. 

He was elected as representative from Monroe County 
to the Thirty-sixth General Assembly of the state of 
Tennessee. He was voted for and elected partly by the 
Democrats as a compromise candidate. He had an- 
nounced himself as being opposed to the wholesale dis- 
franchisement of ''rebels" and their sympathizers, 
which state of affairs existed from the close of the war 
up to the state election in that year, 1869. He was known 
as a Senter Republican as opposed the more radical whig 
of the party, which had up to that time had control 
of affairs in the state. He was postmaster at Sweet- 
water under Grant, during his last administration, and 
also under Hayes and Harrison, occupying that office 
in all twelve years. 

As one would naturally expect he was a Presbyterian. 
He was a member of Lodge No. 292, F. and A. M., and 
Chapter No. 57. 

Tlie children of J. F. and S. P. Owen were seven in 
number: Jessie E., Fred Winton, Fred, Ross, Kate, 
Charles and Hugh. Only three of the children are now 
living: Ross, Kate and Hugh. Kate, in October, 1898, 
married Henry Adkins, formerly of Philadelphia, Tenn., 
but now of Pony, Mont. Ross married Anne Scruggs, 
daughter of the late Dr. R. F. Scruggs. Charles married 
a short time previous to his death. 

The first two children "Jessie E," and ''Fred Win- 



^ HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 265 

ton," died in infancy. ''Fred was not born until after 
the death of ''Fred Winton." 

9. Harriet Owen was born February 9, 1835. She mar- 
ried George L. Beavers, then living at Sweetwater, on 
March 5, 1857. They went to Louisville, Texas. He was 
a farmer. They both resided at Louisville till their 
death. He died October 5, she September 21, 1910. 

Their children were five in number: William H., 
Fronie, George H., Charles F. and Ruth E. These are 
all living, are married and all have families and consti- 
tute quite a colony of themselves, having its origin in 
Sweetwater. 

10. Solomon Hartsell Owen was born February 21, 
1837 ; he died October 23, 1861. 

11. Wm. Francis. Born and died October 1, 1838. 

12. Susan Adeline, was born October 11, 1839. Her 
post-office is Maryville, Tenn. 

13. Emily Caroline Owen was born February 20, 1842. 
She died March 30, 1874. She married William Jordan 
Clayton June 14, 1860. He was born in Knox County, 
August 31, 1835. He lives in Knoxville. Their children 
were six in number, three boys and three girls. They 
are now all married and have families. Their places of 
residence are scattered from Tennessee to Texas. Their 
names are : Louise Elizabeth Butler, Houston, Texas ; 
Jessie May Richard, Knoxville, Tenn.; Wm. Graham 
Clayton, Knoxville, Tenn. ; Robt. Owen Clayton, Birm- 
ingham, Ala. ; Frank Crawford Clayton, Jackson, Tenn. ; 
Helen Adaline McNutt, Knoxville, Tenn. 

14. Mary Haseltine Owen was born November 11, 1843. 
She married John C. Winton of Loudon County, April 
15, 1875. He died on February 21, 1901. Mrs.'^Winton 
now resides with her daughter, Mrs. Alice Winton Hen- 
sley, who married B. F. Hensley, a florist of Knights- 
town, Ind. 

Charles Owen's Characteristics. 

Success to the individual consists largely in getting 
what you want when you want it and in getting rid of 
what you do not want. This is not a Websterian but a 
chimney corner definition, but it is sufficient for our 
purpose. This has reference to a man's subjective at- 



266 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

titude towards his own achievements. The end striven 
for may be worthy or unworthy. There is also an ob- 
jective point of view : the light in which others regard 
what you have done. Most people who think they know 
you well and often others too, can tell precisely where 
you failed of achieving success; or how your success 
would have been much greater had you followed a certain 
line of conduct, which they advised or could have laid 
down for you had you consulted them. Like the bed of 
Procrustes they have an invariable standard to fit you 
to, and lop you off if you prove too long and stretch you 
to the proper length if too short. This tendency of hu- 
manity is expressed in the wise saw of the mountaineer : 
''Measuring my corn with your half bushel." 

What Charles Owen's ideal was I have no satisfactory 
means of knowing. I think he never spoke to me more 
than a dozen words in his life and he was loath to ex- 
press himself in public assemblages. 

When I was a boy I attributed his not noticing me to 
his disapproval of a youth who played checkers, ball and 
the fiddle and ran about the country hunting with a dog, 
a pony and a gun, I think now he was scarcely aware 
of my habits and that this was merely indifference. How- 
ever this might have been, I was careful not to cross his 
line in my hunts and w^hen Brer' rabbit got on the Owen 
land he was as safe from me as if he had fled to another 
county. But I cared little for this since I could go to 
any other place I wished. There were no wire fences 
in the valley then to tear my clothes or bar my way. I 
was not told at home nor by Mr. Owen not to go on his 
territory, but I much preferred to take no chances of a 
rebuff with a man who usually ignored me, neither 
smiled, sang nor looked pleasant even at church. There 
was an added reason to this ; there was a green pond of 
considerable size in one corner of the yard at Mr. Owen's, 
on w^hose margin grew a large weeping willow tree with 
long drooping branches. In the depths of the pond lived 
a colony of water moccasins, that on sunny days lazily 
stretched themselves out on the rocks with which the 
pond was lined. These things gave the landscape a 
dreary appearance and taken together had a depressing 
effect on the spirits. I did not have to be warned to stay 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 267 

away from them. I always treated Mr. Owen with 
marked respect, for besides being a little afraid of him, 
it had been time and again impressed upon me by my 
mother and father, with methods more effective than 
Scripture quotations, that I should have a special regard 
for the feelings of old people and under no circum- 
stances whatever misbehave at church or in the school- 
room, and that if I must cut any extra shines to do so at 
home. I was rarely, if ever, a visitor at the Owen resi- 
dence, during his lifetime. In referring to myself in 
these notes, it is not to inject into them the personal 
equation, but merely to show that if I have given or shall 
give more space to him and his people than most others, 
it is not due to any extra partiality to him or what he 
stood for, but to record essential facts such as go to 
the making up of a truthful and instructive history. 

Gilbert Parker in one of his books relates that, during 
the war between the British and the Boers in South 
Africa, there was a soldier from New Zealand in one 
of the regiments. He was a very fine one and never 
shirked a duty. He always carried a set of chessmen 
with him. In a fierce charge up a steep hill (kopje), 
from which the Boers were driven, he was mortally 
wounded. He was not found mitil after his death. He 
had adopted this means of sending a message to his com- 
rades : He had taken from his set of chessmen a pawn 
(a piece the most numerous and of least value in the 
game) and placed it on a stone at his head. This was to 
tell them that he considered himself only an insignificant 
private in the game of war and that it was inevitable that 
many should meet such a fate and he w^as contented to 
be one of the number. Just this. 

It would not have suited Charles Owen to have been 
so small a factor in affairs ; he was too positive a char- 
acter ; but he would have fought just as hard as the New 
Zealander. He pursued methods of his own and resented 
dictation from others. 

When he wished to be emphatic in his language, his 
preface or by-word was ' ' I say, ' ' which if unnecessary is 
at least more scriptural than some in too common use. 
If he had been writing instead of Francis Scott Key, who 
wrote the words: 



268 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

"0! say can you see in the dawn's early light. 
What so proudly we hailed at twilight's last gleaming?" 

He would probably have said: 

' ' I say, I can see in this broad land of ours, 
By Faith the Presbyterian Banner still waving." . 

He was the ancestor of a score who were named for 
him. He lived to see many of his children and grand- 
children grow up to be useful and honored citizens. In 
most instances his nmnerous descendants, wherever dis- 
persed about the west, south and southwest, have been in- 
grained with Presbyterianism. When the question was 
asked: ''What church did he or she belong to," the al- 
most invariable answer was ''The Presb^^terian" (writ- 
ten with a capital P). 

If success consists in perpetuating the family name 
and Presbyterian principles then, measured by that 
standard, Charles Owen was an eminently successful man 
and I have no doubt these were facts highly gratifying 
to him. 

If half the Presbyterians had been like the Owens and 
as devoted to their principles, there would, in a few 
generations, be room for no denominations other than 
the Presbyterian. For, from Cromwell down they have 
been fighters and you find them marching solidly toward 
the enemy when according to the doctrine of chances, you 
would expect to see them facing the other way. But in 
the lexicon of the Presbyterians there is no such word as 
"chance." 

As a matter of convenience I append a few facts about 
Gentry County, Mo., Vfiere so many of the Owens and 
others from this immediate section have made their 
homes. It is situated in the northwest part of the state 
about 100 miles north of Kansas City. It is in a rich 
agricultural country. It contains 490 square miles to 
our county's 673. The population by the census of 1900 
and 1910 were, respectively, 20,554 and 16,820, to Mon- 
roe's 18,595 and 20,716. So the last census does not make 
a favorable showing for Gentry county as compared with 
our own. 

Albany, the county site of Gentry County, contains 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 269 

about the same number of inhabitants as Sweetwater 
and is about the same elevation above the sea level. 

In the presidential election of 1912, Gentry county 
voted 4,060 and Monroe 2,336. Wilson carried Gentry 
County by 1,000 votes. It appears they pay more atten- 
tion to politics there than we do. Evidently a much 
larger proportion of the voters went to the polls. 

Irby Orr 

Was born September 9, 1821; d. in Sweetwater, April 
10, 1904. He came from the head of Sweetwater Creek 
to Sweetwater about the time the E. T. & Ga. R. R. de- 
pot w^as built. He was among the first settlers of the 
town. He was married (first) to Nancy Ann Weathers 
on December 4, 1840. She was born March 18, 1825. 
She died June 24, 1862. Their children were : 

1. Sarah Jane, b. March 16, 1844; m. James G. Fork- 
ner, December 1, 1866. Tliev moved to Oklahoma about 
1892, where she died in 1912. 

2. Julia Ann, March 14, 1846; m. James F. Nichols, 
June 16, 1864, and moved to Decatur, Ala., where he 
died. 

. 3. Mary Caroline, b. August 28, 1848 ; m. William Fry 
on September 2, 1869. (See Fry.) 

4. John Willson, b. September 8, 1850; m. Mollie E. 
Young, August 28, 1875. They went to Texas and from 
there to Arkansas. They had five children, names not 
known. 

5. Samuel Rowan, b. October 30, 1852; (first) m. Miss 
Rogers, of Decatur, Ala. She died April 11, 1902. He 
died in Nashville and was buried at the Sweetwater Cem- 
etery. They had three children: Walter, Samuel and 
Irma. He married (second) Miss Smith. Two chil- 
dren. 

6. William, b. September 22, 1854. Went to Texas 
in 1892 ; married there. History not known. 

7. James, b. December 3, 1856; d. January 28, 1890. 
He was a stock trader. Unmarried. 

8. Robert Jackson, b. March 7, 1859 ; m. Nannie Eddy 
of Meigs County. She died and he afterwards married 
Ella Pratt. He was a locomotive engineer in the em- 
ploy of the L. & N. Railroad in Birmingham, Ala. 



270 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

9. Nancy Lenoir, b. July 13, 1861; d. June 24, 1862. 
Irby Orr was married (second) to Mrs. Chaney S. 

Barrett on March 10, 1863. She was formerly Chaney 
Nichols, of Pittsylvania County, Va. Her parents were 
John and Elizabeth Shelton Nichols. Their children 
were : 

10. Charles W., b. May 10, 1868; m. Miss Love. They 
had one child, b. May 14, 1903. 

11. Lillian, b. March 2, 1874; m. Reece Lowry June, 
1907. He is an insurance agent living in Chattanooga, 
Tenn. 

Francis A. Patton 

Was born in North Carolina. He came to Monroe 
County, Tenn. He married a Miss Rose. They had two 
children, Horace and Mary. Mary m. Charles L. Owen 
(whom see). Horace joined the Confederate army and 
was captured at Vicksburg. After the war was over 
he married Mary E. Cleveland on December 28, 1865. 
Jos. Janeway, minister. Mary was the daughter of 
Robt. and Elizabeth Cleveland and a sister of Wm. 
Cleveland. Their subsequent history is not known to the 
writer. 

After the death of his first wife, Francis A. Patton 
married Amanda A. Taylor, sister of E. A. Taylor in 
the latter part of 1841. He died at his residence where 
C. D. Browder now lives, in 1845. Their children were : 
Frank T. He was born in 1842. He was in the Civil 
War and was captured at Vicksburg. Soon after the 
Civil War he went to Georgia and afterwards to the 
southern part of Missouri. He was elected to the Legis- 
lature from one of the counties there. He died on Sep- 
tember 13, 1901. 

Anne E., b. January 12, 1844; d. March 18, 1890. Mar- 
ried T. E. Snead (whom see). 

James F., born in the latter part of 1846. Married 
Callie Ferguson, formerly of Monroei County, Tenn., 
in 1868. Thev reside at Alva, Okla. Their children 
are: Mary F., Elizabeth A., Will E., Preston C, Sal- 
lie A., Carrie E., Amy L., Horace F. and Ora J. All 
married except the two youngest, Horace and Ora. Ho- 
race is a minister in Rhode Island. Was educated at 
theological seminary in Boston, Mass. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 271 

Francis A. Patton died in 1845. Mrs. Amanda Pat- 
ton was married (second) to Thomas L. Brickell on 
January 3, 1850. They had one daughter, Ennna, born 
the latter part of 1850, who married Joseph Traylor in 
1870. She is dead. He lives in White County, Ark. 

Stephen Parshley 

Was born March 11, 1811, in Middletown, Conn. He 
came to Lenoir's, Tenn., in 1832, where he was employed 
for some years in the cotton factory. Moved to Phila- 
delphia, Tenn., in 1845. Married Martha Stewart 
Brock, in 1839, in Stockton valley. She was born in 
Virginia, September 25, 1816. Died at Philadelphia, 
November 18, 1882, and was buried there. Stephen 
Parshley, in the latter years of his life, was a stock 
trader. He was a Methodist. Died at Philadelphia in 
jFebruary, 1851. Interred in Stekee Cemetery, near 
Loudon. His children were: 

Sarah, b. Jmie 27, 1840. Married Harvey Porter. 

E. Sophia, b. June 22, 1846. Married Thomas H. 
Grieb, of Joplin, Mo. 

Mary Virginia, b. January 23, 1849. Married Milton 
Bayless, of Chestua, McMinn County, who was a farmer. 
She died near Gudger, Tenn., March 27, 1914. He died 
there in 1915. 

Stephen, b. June 4, 1851. He went to Ashland, Kan., 
about 1880, and was a lawyer and prosecuting attorney 
while there. He went from Kansas to Park City, Utah, 
and from there to Lawton, Okla., where he was married 
to Mrs. Kate Whitney. He afterwards moved to Den- 
ver, Col., where he now (1916) lives. 

Washington LaFayette Price 

Was the son of Addison and Julia Loughlin Price. 
He was born at Philadelphia, Tenn., on December 8, 
1830. He died there on May 28, 1890, and was buried 
at the old cemetery. His wife, Mary Jane, was the 
daughter of John and Mary Holston. John Holston was 
born November 29, 1800. Mary Jane Holston Price was 
born June 5, 1834, and died at Johnson City at the home 



272 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

of her granddaughter, Mrs. Kate Burbage, on January 
11, 1913. She was buried at Stekee Cemetery near Lou- 
don, Tenn. 

W. L. Price was express agent at Loudon during the 
Civil War and was also postmaster until he came to 
Sweetwater in 1864 and engaged in the general mercan- 
tile business. He was a member of Sweetwater Lodge 
No. 292 F. & A. M., and also of Chapter No. 57 R. A. M. 
He lived at Sweetwater until 1872 when he sold out his 
business there and moved to California. Later he re- 
turned to Tennessee and made Ivnoxville his home for 
many years. 

The children of W. L. and M. J, Price were three, one 
daughter, Mary Julia, was born at Loudon July 16, 1854. 
Died there February 16, 1859. 

William B., his oldest son, was born at Loudon De- 
cember 3, 1859. He took up the study of music under 
Mrs. H. M. Cooke, at Sweetwater, and also under his 
father, both of whom had a thorough understanding of 
music. William B. was organist at the Episcopal church 
at Cleveland, Tenn., and afterwards organist in Chi- 
cago. He is now president of the Price-Teeple Piano 
Compan}^ of Chicago, 111. Their business is the manu- 
facture of pianos and player pianos. ' Mr. Price pre- 
sented a fine piano to the H. M. Cooke Memorial Li- 
brary Association at Sweetwater, Tenn. William B. 
Price has been twice married. He married, first, Lucie 
A. Smith, of Rogersville, Tenn., and second Natalie 
Whitted, of Chicago, 111. 

Albert F. Price, son of first marriage, was born in 
Knoxville, Tenn., on January 9, 1883. He is general 
wholesale representative, of the Price-Teeple Company. 

Kate, daughter of the first marriage, was born in 
Knoxville, August 11, 1884. She married Henry J. 
Burbage. He resides at Johnson City, Tenn., where he 
is engaged in the wholesale produce business. 

Charles, the second son of W. L. and M. J. Price, was 
born at Sweetwater on September 27, 1868. Unmarried. 
He is the eastern representative of the Price-Teeple 
Piano Co. 

The ancestors of W. L. and Mary J. Price were among 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 275 

the early settlers of America and fought under "Wash- 
ington in the Revolutionary War. 

William Penningtoit 

Was born in Ashe County, N. C, December 13, 1777 ; d. 
in Sweetwater Valley, April 22, 1838. His wife, Eliz- 
abeth Eller, was born in North Carolina in October, 
1776; d. December 7, 1844. He moved to Sweetwater 
Valley and settled on the Jesse Martin (Presley Cleve- 
land) place. He sold his interest there to Presley 
Cleveland and moved to what was afterwards the Riley 
Burns farm and there reared his family. They had one 
son, 

John Pennington, who was born in Ashe County, N. 
C, October 27, 1801. He came with his father, first to 
Knox County, and then to Sweetwater Valley in 1820. 
He married Alpha Davis, of Somerset, Ken. She was 
born in 1802 and died in 1872. She was buried at Cleve- 
land Cemetery. The children of John and Alpha Pen- 
nington were: 

One. Lucinda Elizabeth, b. July 4, 1823; d. December 
9, 1828. 

Two. Hiram B., b. 1825; m. Margaret Pickel, daughter 
of Jonathan Pickel, in 1848. He died in Gentry County, 
Mo. (at the age of 58), where they had previously moved. 
Their children were: 

1. C'Big") John, lives at Salem, Ore. He is now 
(1916) 61 years of age. 

2. Alpha, m. Easterly. Lives in Missouri. 

J 3. Eliza, m. Robinson. Lives in Gentry Coun- 
ty, Mo. 

' Three. Emeline, b. 1827 ; m. Eli Mathew, son of Eli 
Cleveland (whom see). 

Four. William Jasper, b. April 10, 1829; d. October, 
1852. Baptized July, 1851. Unmarried. 

Five. John Calloway, b. July 31, 1831. His father, 
John Pennington and John Calloway, who lived near 
Cleveland church, w^ere cousins. He was baptized Oc- 
tober, 1856. He married Esther Caroline Bryant, March 
20, 1855. She was the daughter of A. P. Bryant, of 
McMinn County, Tenn. She was born January 9, 1836 ; 
d. June 4, 1905. Their children were: 



274 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

1. Addie Frances, b. December 25, 1855 ; d. May, 1905. 
She married S, S. Caldwell of Alabama. They moved 
to Dodd, Famiin County, Texas. They were the par- 
ents of seven children, six boys and one daughter. They 
mostly live in the section of Texas named above. 

2. Alpha Ann, second daughter of John Calloway Pen- 
nington, was born October 4, 1857 ; m. James Richeson 
of Pond Creek Valley in 1884. Tliey moved to Fannin 
County, Texas, in 1888. They are the parents of six 
children, four daughters and two sons. Bertie and Ger- 
tie were twins and were born in Pond Creek Valley in 
1886. They were married in Texas. The other chil- 
dren, except the youngest daughter, are also married 
and several of them have families. 

3. Aley, b. JPebruary, 1860; d. June, 1913; m. James 
A. Cook, brother of Dr. S. B. Cook, late of Chattanooga. 
She died in 1877. Tliey resided on Paint Rock Creek. 
Their childreil wer6: 

(1) Leila, now (1916) 33 or 34 years of age; m. B. F. 
Kyle, of Anniston, Ala. 

(2) John, now (1916), aged 30. 

(3)' May, married. Resides at Anniston, Ala. 
(4) Charles Bates, b. 1888 or 1889. Lives at Anniston, 
Ala. 

4. Marv, daughter of John Calloway Pennington, b. 
October, 1862 ; d. 1882. Unmarried. 

5. Emma, b. February 22, 1865; d, 1890; m. Robert 
Pardue, brother of Rev. H. Clay Pardue, in 1884. Their 
children are John, b. 1885, and William, b. 1887. 

6. John Brvant, b. June 7, 1868; m. Margaret, sister 
of W. Y. Wilson, on March 29, 1891. He was elected 
county court clerk of Monroe County in August, 1910, 
and re-elected in 1914. Children are : Carl, b. January. 
19, 1894; Janie Esther, b. October, 1896; Callie, b. Feb- 
ruary 9, 1898 ; Nannie, b. March 13, 1901 ; Eliza, b. Jan- 
uary 29, 1904; Margaret, b. April 21, 1906. 

7. William Horace, seventh child of John Calloway 
Pennington, b. July 2, 1870. Married Zada Lloyd in 
Springfield, Mo. AVas killed October 16, 1915, in Inter- 
urban I^ailroad accident. Four children, one boy and 
three girls were born to them. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAL.LEY 275 

8. Charles Edward, eighth child of John Calloway 
Pennington, b. October 2, 1872. Married Belle Pope, a 
niece of James Pope, who was county court clerk of 
Uoane County for thirty years. Charles Pennington is 
a R. F. D. carrier. Their children are : James Clifford, 
b. April 15, 1894; Essie, b. February, 1896; Annie Belle, 
b. 1898; John, b. 1901; Lizzie, b. 1903; Mattie Lee, b. 
1904; Emma, b. 1907; Charles, b. 1911. 

Sixth. Mary Ann, sixth child of Jno. and Alpha Pen- 
nington, b. November 10, 1833; d. 1913; m. Harvey H. 
Cleveland (whom see). 

Seven. Francis Marion, seventh child of John and Alpha 
Davis Pennington, was born in 1836. Baptized May, 
1860; m. Virginia, daughter of Dan Lowry, of McMinn 
County, Tenn. He died at Athens, Tenn., at the age of 
52. Their children are: 

1. John B. Lives in Chattanooga, Tenn. 

2. William, killed in a street car wreck in Chatta- 
nooga, on October 18, 1909. 

3. Susie, m. Frank Page. Both dead. Three children : 
Mabel, Buell and Annie. 

4. Callie, m. Wm. Cass, his second wife. Children: 
Carl, 23; Fred, 19; Claude, 13. 

5. Maggie, m. Bedow. They had one daughter, Fan- 
nie, who m. IVIills of Chattanooga. 

1. John B. m. Corda Coltharp, daughter of Ham. 
Coltharp. She d. 1908. Six children: 

(1) John T'edford, m. Nellie Roberts. Two children. 
Live at East Chattanooga. 

(2) Ola Virginia, unmarried. 

(3) Myrtle, m. McGloffin. 

(4) "Willie, b. 1897. 

(5) Hubert, b. 1911. 

6. Francis M., son of F. M. P. ; b. February 20, 1883. 
Unmarried. His address is 535 Dodson Avenue, Chat- 
tanooga. 

Eight. Robert Snead Pennington, b. 1840; d. unmar- 
ried. 

Nine. Lodusky Caroline, b. 1842. Baptized September, 
1855; m. Louis Bryant, son A. D. Bryant, who went to 
Gentry County, Mo. Mrs. B. is living; Mr. B. is dead. 



276 history of sweetwater valley 

Col. John Ramsey. 

If a man bore the name of Ramsey, was a Presbyter- 
ian, revered his Maker, loved his country, stood by his 
section, was true to his party, was steadfast and im- 
movable in every principle he advocated, was clannish 
to a degree and would never desert his people till ihe 
last sad act in the drama of life, was fearless in de- 
meanor, keen of eye, long, lank and lean of form, would 
it take a Sherlock Holmes to figure out where he sprung 
from! One would not have to decipher cryptograms 
and make microscopical examinations to ascertain. Any 
intelligent schoolboy could tell you. That his ancestors 
at some time dwelt in the highlands of Scotland would 
be self-evident. 

The Ramsey form was built for speed and endurance 
and not for grace. They leaped from crag to crag as 
they chased the wild deer over the brow of Ben Nevis; 
they waded the firths as they followed the trails in the 
fastnesses ; they collected their clan as the torches flashed 
their code signals from mountain top to mountain top. 
They marched over the peaks to the music of the bag- 
pipe or the shrill notes of the pibroch. With a Moray 
(Murray) or McGregor, claymore in hand, they made 
fierce forays into the lowlands. Many were the head 
of cattle they captured and drove northward to supple- 
ment their scant supply of ** razor backs" on the Gram- 
pian Hills. Yet in ^'ye olden times" they did not al- 
ways have things their own way; notably when Cullo- 
den "reeked with the blood of the brave." They were 
unconquerable, however, on their native heath. 

How they would have laughed at the build of a Dutch 
Stuyvesant, five feet high and four feet broad; or was 
it four feet high and five feet broad? What a contempt 
those mountaineers would have had for the stein and 
the long stemmed pipe. Wlien they drank strong drmk 
at all it was usquebaugh unmixed even with the water 
of their own pure momitain rills. 

When clan met clan then came the tug of war, 
When Dutch met Dutch then came the lager beer. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 277 

In the middle of the eighteenth century there lived' a 
wealthy planter by the name of Stovall in Bedford 
County, Va. He owned much land and slaves and a 
large stock of family pride ; in other words he was what 
might be termed an aristocrat. He had a beautiful 
daughter who was born on January 8, 1757. 

He had in his employ an overseer named McBride. 
McBride died while in his service and he (Stovall), 
charged his family in spite of the difference in station 
and circumstances always to treat the McBrides v;itli 
kindness and consideration in their bereavement. Over- 
seer McBride had a son not a great deal older than 
Elizabeth Stovall. She fell in love with and married 
him contrary to her parents' wishes. Although Mr. Sto- 
vall had exhorted his children to treat the McBrides 
kindly, he considered that this was kindness run mad. 
He sent word to his daughter that he never more wished 
to see her, her husband or his kinspeople and that he 
would forgive her in case she stayed away and never 
called on him or his for anything in the future. Tims 
Elizabeth Stovall early realized how sharper than a ser- 
pent 's tooth it is to have a thankless father. Soon after 
the marriage with McBride the Revolutionary Wa r 
came on and McBride joined the Virginia troops and 
came out of the war with the rank of colonel. Yet that 
made no difference and her parents were no more recon- 
ciled to her than before. McBride died not long after 
the war was over and she not a great while a widow mar- 
ried Major Jno. Ramsey who was also a Revolutionary 
soldier. They moved to Iredell County, N. C, where 
John Ramsey, the subject of this sketch was born May 
5, 1797. While he was yet an infant John Ramsey senior 
moved to Greene County, Tenn., where he died. John 
Ramsey, Jr., came to Sweetwater Valley somewhere 
about the year 1820 when the Hiwassee District had been 
surveyed and the different tracts were for sale by the 
state. He made arrangements to purchase what was 
known as the Bunch tract, being the northwest quarter 
of section 35, township 2, range 1, east of the Basis Line. 
On a part of this tract now stands the T. M. I. College 
and the surrounding buildings. He however gave this 
up or disposed of it and finally settled, where J. C. War- 



278 HISTORY OP SWEETWATER VALLEY 

en and wife, daughter of John Ramsey, now (1914) re- 
side, one-half mile south, of Sweetwater. 

Colonel John Ramsey's mother resided with her son 
many of the last years of her life. She died on October 

4, 1854, reaching- the advanced age of nearly 98 years. 
She is said to have retained her mental and physical 
faculties to the last in a remarkable degree. She was 
known for years in the neighborhood on account of ad- 
vanced age as '^ Granny" Ramsey. 

Col. John Ramsey in the Legislature. 

They say it was a great race for the Legislature in 
Monroe Count}^, betw^een Colonel John Ramsey and Wil- 
liam Heiskell. The political state of the nation and also 
the state of Tennessee and the personality of the con- 
testants made it so. At that time in 1847, James K. 
Polk, of Tennessee, was president of the United States. 
He had been elected by a narrow margin over Henry 
Clay on account of the latter 's oppositions to the Mex- 
ican "War. At that time also Aaron V. Brown and Neil 

5. Brown were opposing candidates on the Democratic 
and whig tickets. Tlie parties in Tennessee were on a 
balance and it was impossible to say beforehand which 
should be successful, and the complexion of the Legisla- 
ture whether whig or democratic was just as hard to 
predetermine as the aggregate vote of all the counties. 
Each seat in the General Assembl}^ both in the lower 
and upper house was hotly contested. 

Col. John Ramsey was the democratic candidate from 
Monroe County for the Legislature; William Heiskell 
was the whig candidate. Besides the personalities of 
the candidates themselves, various issues made the 
canvass exciting. On the one hand it was charged that 
William Heiskell was an aristocrat. That he had to 
have a negro valet to help him dress himself. That he 
was too proud to w^ear the ordinary jeans clothes woven 
by the people of the county; that he wore store clothes 
and otherwise conducted himself as an aristocrat. It is 
true that he took his toddy and was fond of music and 
played the fiddle in Old. Virginia style. On the other 
hand it was charged among the common people that 
Colonel Ramsey was somewhat effected by the prohibi- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 279 

tioiiist ideas of Lorenzo Dow, who had made a canvass 
through this country. Furthermore it is charged against 
Colonel John Ramsey that he was not at all in sympathy 
with the southern ideas of the institution of slavery and 
did not believe in its moral right. Ramsey was in favor 
of the Mexican War and acquisition of territory result- 
ing therefrom. Heiskell was opposed to this. 

But the result of the canvass really turned on this, 
whether what was termed as the "one gallus copperas 
breeches Democrat" or the rich man should elect their 
representative to the county. As nearly always happens 
in such instances, what might be termed as the common 
people were in the majority, and Colonel John Ramsey 
was triumphantly elected. 

Although William Heiskell was defeated by Colonel 
John Ramsey for the Legislature, yet his brother, F. S. 
Heiskell was elected senator from Knox County. This 
gave the majority to the whigs, the upper house of the 
Legislature being composed of thirteen whigs and twelve 
Democrats. The house was almost equally as close. In 
the year 1847 John Bell, who was then a member of the 
Legislature, was elected United States senator, receiv- 
ing 51 out of 90 votes on joint ballot. John Bell was 
afterwards a whig candidate for the President of the 
United States in the year 1860. Tliat was when Lincoln 
was elected. 

In the governor's race in 1847, Neil S. Brown, the whig 
candidate, defeated Aaron V. Brown, who was elected 
governor two years before. This was one of the last 
successes that the whigs ever had in the state of Tennes- 
see. The Legislature of 1847 was composed mostly of 
farmers and young men. John Bell and John Ramsey 
were the oldest members of the house, each being, ac- 
cording to the published roster, 60 years of age. Before 
Ramsey went to the Legislature the charter of the Hi- 
wassee Railroad from Dalton to lOioxville had been 
abandoned and given place to the charter of the E. T. 
& Ga. Railroad. Colonel John Ramsey had always been 
in favor of internal improvements and was a friend to 
the railroad. He did what he could in expediting the 
building of the railroad. From that time on there was 



280 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAULiEY 

little doubt that the railroad would be built, and before 
many years it was finished. 

We will hereafter give something of the history of 
when the railroad was graded through Sweetwater Val- 
ley and how this was accomplished. The railroad was 
built partly by help of the state, lending its aid by bond 
issues, which constituted first mortgage on the roadbed, 
and by the citizens along the line of the railroad sub- 
scribing money and doing work on the grading, for which 
they received stock of the E. T. & Ga. Railroad. The 
railroad from Dalton to Knoxville was built entirely 
without the aid of foreign or out-of-state capital. 

Colonel John Ramsey was by no means a highly 
educated man nor a man of extraordinary ability, but 
few men in the county have had more to do with its suc- 
cess and prosperity than he. This was owing to his hon- 
esty and integrity and his rare common sense, and men 
of all parties and religions recognized the existence in 
him of these sterling qualities. 

This shows that a man has neither to be rich nor great 
nor highly educated nor have extravagant opportunities 
to have great influence in a community. I know of no 
man among early settlers whose example could be imi- 
tated with more profit by the rising generation. 

William Griffitts, of Blount County, Tenn., was born 
in Virginia, July 13, 1781. His wife was born Septem- 
ber 26, 1779. Siie died at Unitia, Blount County, Tenn. 
These were the parents of Susanna Griffitts Ramsey, 
wife of Colonel John Ramsey. She was born at Unitia, 
Blount County, Tenn., February 12, 1802. She mar- 
ried Jno. Ramsey, February 28, 1822. She died at the 
Ramsey residence January 6, 1881. Jno. Ramsey died 
April 28, 1872. (For further history see Presbyterian 
church.) The children of Jno. and S. G. Ramsey were: 

One. Mary, born October 19, 1828. Died March 7, 
1863. On April 8, 1856, she married Frank Rowan and 
lived on Fork Creek, near Christianburg Church. They 
had one daughter, Bettie, who was born February 23, 
1863. She married Jno. Moon, of Hamilton County, No- 
vember 29, 1905. They now (1915) reside at the old 
Ramsey residence. (1916) He looks after large estate 
of Mrs. Waren. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 281 

Two. William Griffitts R., born March 29, 1835; d. 
February 22, 1850. 

Three. Elizabeth Emmeline R., born March 25, 1837; 
d. October 19, 1862. Two and Three never married, 
buried in the Philadelphia Cemetery. 

Four. John Eagieton R., born September 27, 1839; 
married Martha E. Smith of Jonesboro, November 6, 

1866. He served in the Confederate army in Co. 

Regt., Tenn. Vol., C. S. A. He moved to Bridgeport, 
Wise County, Texas. The children of J. E. and Martha 
E. were 11 in number. Six of whom now (1913) living 
and none married. They are: 

James, Charles, George, Mary, Katie, Alice. 

Four. Martha R., daughter of J. and S. Ramsev, born 
July 17, 1842. 

Captain Jacob Cathey Waeen. 

His mother was Mary Cathey, daughter of George 
Cathey, of Ha^^wood County, N. C. She was married 
twice, first to Sherwood Osborne, one of eleven brothers 
in Haywood County. They had no sisters. Sherwood, 
Thomas and Joseph, came to East Tennessee. Sher- 
wood Osborne died leaving several children, one of whom 
was, afterwards, Captain Toin Osborne, of the Confed- 
erate army. Mrs. Osborne married, a second time, to 
Jacob Waren, who came from Virginia in 1788, locating 
in Roane County, what is now Loudon. Jacob Cathey 
Waren, her son, was born in Roane County, December 
25, 1842. On July 27, 1861, he enlisted in Captain John 
A. Rowan's company, afterwards known as Co. G, Ash- 
by 's 2nd Tenn. Cav., Ashby's brig. Hume's Dis., Wheel- 
er's army corps. Army of Tennessee (Confederate). 

In the archives of the General John C. Vaughn, Chap- 
ter No. 1244, U. D. C, is a history of his career as a 
Confederate soldier, prepared by Mrs. Myra Love Ijow- 
ry. It is too lengthy for us to reproduce in this work. 

A great part of the time during the war he served as 
an independent scout under General Jo. Wheeler. 

Soon after the war he came to Sweetwater and com- 
menced business. He married Martha E. Ramsey on 
December 10, 1873. 



282 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

He was for two terms, sheriff of Monroe County, and 
in 1882 was elected trustee of the county. In 1902 he 
was elected to the Fifty-sixth General Assembly as the 
representative from Monroe County. When he was 
elected to the Legislature he was living in the old Ram- 
sey residence, where Colonel John Ramsey lived when 
he was elected to the Twenty-seventh General Assem- 
bly. Captain Waren was a very fine business man. He 
owned several large farms, besides the one on which he 
lived, and much property in the town of Sweetwater. 
He died suddenly of heart failure, near his home, on 
May 11, 1915, and was interred in Westview Cemetery, 
His wife, Martha E., is the beneficiary and executrix un- 
der his will. 

Reynolds Allen Ramsey 

Was born in Knox County, Tenn., near the present site 
of Concord, November 13, 1799. He first lived at Ross' 
Landing. In 1840 moved to Catoosa County, Ga. He 
married (first) Anne Campbell Roane, who died in a 
short time, leaving one child, Mary Roane Ramsey. She 
married James A, Corry. She died leaving two sons, 
Allen Corry and Robert Corry. 

James Corry married (second) about 1861 Carrie, 
daughter of John Y. and Leah Lenoir Smith. They had 
one child, Thomas Avery. He was born February 22, 
1862. He was educated mostly at Sweetw^ater. By pro- 
fession he is a civil engineer. He married Laura Mont- 
gomery of Roane County, Tenn. They moved to the 
city of Mexico. He was chief engineer of railroad run- 
ning from the city of Mexico to Vera Cruz for a number 
of years. About 1911 he went to Arequipa, Peru, where 

he is chief engineer, constructing the — railroad. 

They have two daughters, Margaret, born and 

Elizabeth born 

Reynolds A. Ramsey married (second) Louisa Car- 
oline Lenoir. She was born in Wilkes County, N. C, in 
1805, the second child of Wm. B. Lenoir. She died in 
Catoosa County, Ga., August 11, 1841. Their children 
were: 

William Lenoir, b. April — , 1829; d. at Knoxville 
1896. 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 283 

Samuel A., b, September — , 1830 ; d. June, 1839. 

Waightstill Avery, b. January, 1832; d. at Lenoir's, 
Tenn., August, 1866. 

Elizabeth Fleming, b. October, 1883. Married N. A. 
Patterson, then of Kingston, Tenn. Her daughter, Mrs. 
Cora A. Hardin, lives at Olvistee, Okla. 

Thomas Isaac, b. October, 1835. Living in San An- 
tonio, Texas. Married Amelia Boyd about 1870. They 
were the parents of seven children, five of whom are liv- 
ing. One son, Reynolds A., lives at Waycross, Ga. J. 
G. M. married June Burdett 1913. One daughter of T. 
I. Ramsey Lenoir, married a missionary and lives in 
Africa. 

The seventh child of R. A. and Louisa Ramsey was 
Julia Ann Campbell, born December, 1839. She died at 
Austin, Texas, in 1915. Married Gideon B. Caldwell, in 
Monroe County, Tenn., January 19, 1863. They were 
the parents of six children, most of whom are married 
and are living in Texas. Their names are : Allen R., 
Catherine C, Louisa L., Mary Lizzie, James Harvey and 
Addle Ellen. 

Colonel Ramsey married (third) Mrs. Ann B. McGhee, 
nee McLin, of Maryville, Tenn., in February, 1845. She 
was born February 3, 1814; d. February 15, 1882. He 
died at Dalton, Ga., June 23, 1884. Both are buried in 
the old Sweetwater cemetery. They came to Pond 
Creek Valley, near Sweetwater, in 1858. They belonged 
to the Presbyterian church at Sweetwater, in which 
church he was a ruling elder. Their only child, Emmett 
Alexander, was born December, 1849, died in 1898. He 
married Miss Lena Wilhoite, of Shelbyville, Tenn., in 
1894. He was a Presbyterian minister of fine attain- 
ments and was a pastor of a church in Memphis, Tenn., 
at the time of his death in January, 1898. 

William Rutherford 

Was born in Grayson County, Va., on April 11, 1797, 
and came to Sweetwater Valley, first living near Reagan 
Station until 1864. During the remainder of the war 
he lived at the old Bowman (Benson) place. He died 
on June 25, 1870, and was buried at County Line Cem- 
etery. He married Celia Hale, who was born in Gray- 



284 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAIiLEY 

son County, Va. She moved to Kaufman County, Texas, 
in 1877, and died there and was buried at College Mound, 
Texas. Their children were: 

1. Rufus. 

2. John F. 

3. George, b. September 28, 1848. Died January 5, 
1883. Married Mary Miles in Chattanooga. Died in 
Texas. 

4. James. Post-office, Cartersville, Ga. Married 
Miss Oliver. 

5. Cynthia, b. October 11, 1822. Married Phillip Cole. 
Lives in Texas. 

6. Elizabeth. Dead. 

7. Parmelia Jane, b. February 11, 1827; d. June 19, 
1855. Married Jake "Williams. Dead. 

8. Samuel, b. May 1, 1825. Died in Missouri. Mar- 
ried Mick Ann Richardson. 

9. Julia, b. April 29, 1828. Married Jake Patton, and 
lives at Miami, Texas. 

10. Felan Louis, b. February 1, 1830. Married in Mis- 
rouri. Dead. 

11. Rosamond Caroline, b. December 2, 1834. Dead. 
Married Wm. McCaslin. 

12. Margaret, b. April 9, 1839. Married John Bil- 
lingsly. 

Rufus Rutherford 

Was born in McMinn County, Tenn., March 8, 1832. 
Married Elizabeth Fender, May 18, 1855. She was born 
June 15, 1831, in Roane County, Tenn. Died January 
27, 1905, and was interred at Bell Springs, Texas. 

Rufus Rutherford lived for five years, in the old I. T. 
Lenoir residence, until he moved to Texas, in 1877. He 
was a farmer and was a member of the Cumberland 
Presbyterian Church. Served in the Confederate army, 
until the close of the war, as a member of Captain W. 
L. Clark's company, 2nd Tennessee Calvary. He is now 
a farmer and banker at Hillsboro, Texas. His children 
are: 

Mrs. Maggie Kyle, Hillsboro, Texas. 

William H., Rockwood, Texas. 

Mrs. Cynthia Parks, Hillsboro, Texas. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 285 

Mrs. Mary Parks, Hillsboro, Texas. 
Mrs. Julia McClure, Hillsboro, Texas. 
Mrs. Celia Whitlock, Lockney, Texas. 
Rufus W., Claude, Texas. 
Mrs. Bettie McCarty, Hillsboro, Texas. 

John F. Rutherford 

Was the son of Wm. Rutherford, and was born in 
Sweetwater Valley, October 30, 1837. Married Malinda 
J. Williams, daughter of John Williams, September 16, 
1873, by the Rev. G. W. Butler. She was born March 
7, 1856. John F. Rutherford was a farmer. He served 
in the Confederate army as a private in Co. B, 5th Reg. 
Vol., Tenn. Cav., from 1862 to 1865. He moved from 
Sweetwater Valley to Jalapa, Tenn. They had eight 
children, six of whom are living : 

1. Inez, b. 1875. Lives in Texas. 

2. Clifton, b. 1878. Was a ranchman in Idaho. Now 
lives at Tellico, Tenn. 

3. King. Dead. 

4. Daisy. Dead. Married John Tate. 

5. Key, b. 1883. Lives in Idaho. 

6. Rankin, b. 1888. Lives in Idaho. 

7. Creed, b. 1895. Lives in Idaho. 

8. Fred., b. 1898. Lives in Idaho. 

S. J. Rowan 

Was a brother of Jno. A, Rowan who lived on Fork 
Creek, and who was a colonel in the C. S. A., during the 
Civil War. He married Jane Carter, a sister of Robert 
Carter and F. B. Carter. They lived in Sweetwater 
some time during the Civil War. He (Rowan) owned 
a large farm at County Line, on the Athens road. In 
June, 1857, for the consideration of $13,000, he conveyed 
his holdings there to J. M. Brett, formerly of Georgia. 
He moved to Sweetwater and engaged in the mercantile 
business. He was postmaster during Buchanan's ad- 
ministration. Some time in 1868 he moved to Waco, 
Texas. At a session of the Presbyterian church at 
Sweetwater, March 22, 1869, Samuel J. and Jane Rowan, 



286 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAJLLEY 

his wife, were granted a letter to join the Presbyterian 
church at Waco. Their children were: Miranda, Car- 
ter and Crockett Rowan. Miranda married Dr. 

Parshall. They were the parents of several children, 
names and number not known. Some of them live in 
Hillsboro, Texas. One of them married Burt Barnett, 
who lives on Lamar Street, Fort Worth, Texas. He is 
a wealthy cotton broker. Mr. Rufus Rutherford, of 
Hillsboro, Texas, says that now, 1916, Carter and Crock- 
ett are both dead; that Crockett married and reared a 
family, but that he did not know their address or history. 

Mr, and ]VIrs. J. T. Rowland. 

Mr. J. T. Rowland came from Georgia. He married 
Miss Louisa Keith, a sister of Judge Charles Keith, 
who resigned his position after being judge for thirty- 
four years. Mr. and Mrs. Rowland purchased land in 
Sweetwater Valley from William Wallis on the 10th 
of September, 1855. This was a part of the northwest 
quarter of section 15, township 3, range 1, east. Con- 
sideration, $3,000. This land lay between the Browder 
and Yearwood places. They lived at this place until 
some time during the Civil War, when they moved away. 
Rowland died, and in 1865 Mrs. Rowland with her two 
sons moved back to the farm. She soon sold out, how- 
ever, and moved away. She was a brilliant and gifted 
woman and not only was a contributor to the magazines 
but was also a musical composer. She gave my mother 
one of her compositions in reply to, "I have just been 
learning a lesson of life," which was thought to have 
been better than the other. Her two children were: 
John T., an accomplished musician, who died when a 
young man, and Charles K., now a broker and real es- 
tate dealer of Atlanta, Ga. 

General James H. Reagan. 

Some sixty-five years ago Reagan's station consisted 
of a very large pond, having an area of 5 or 6 acres, 
a flourishing apple orchard or two, the Reagan boys, 
the big house, the negro cabins, various brier patches, 
the store, the United States Post-office, the E. T. & Ga. 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 287 

Railroad Depot and water tank and the cribs and barn. 
These resources are intended to be mentioned in the or- 
der of their relative importance in the boyish mind. The 
pond, placed there by a beneficent Providence, who seem- 
ingly watches over the safety of good and bad boys 
alike, could be and was used for the threefold purpose 
of swimming in, fishing in and rowing and sailing boats 
over. The apple orchards were both food and drink. 
Their products were a source of ever recurring enjoy- 
ment from their first bloom in April through the red 
June, the mellow fall, the rough winter and until the 
return of spring again. What would a home be without 
a swimming hole, red June apples and sweet cider? And 
echo answers: "Notliin' doin'. " And what would be 
the use of such things without boys to revel in them 
and satiate their appetites? The ^'big house" was 
to eat in and sleep in ; otherwise of no special impor- 
tance. Tlie negro cabin was a mecca when at night some 
noted negro fiddler or banjo picker was playing for a 
dance. Life in those bo3^hood days w^ould not have been 
wholly satisfactory without brier patches. The black- 
berries were watched with interest through all their 
stages of developments, green, red and black. When the 
berries had come and gone the brier thickets became the 
favorite warren and home of the rabbit; then ''ho" for 
the chase of the nimble cotton tail. The store was the 
source of supply of candy, tops, balls and marbles. 
These were very much a part of boyish equipment, far 
more important then than anything that came through 
the post-office which frequently occupied a portion of 
country store. Few articles at that time came by par- 
cels post. The railroad depot was a very flimsy affair 
and the water tank, capable of containing only about 2,- 
500 gallons, was filled by a chain pump from a spring. 
The barns were useful as places to play in on rainy 
days. 

On Sunday our privileges were somewhat abridged. 
After reading a chapter in the Bible and hearing it ex- 
plained we w^ere allowed quietly to go out to play with 
a few parting injunctions ; not to go in swimming, not to 
hunt rabbits and not to get into a fuss or fight with the 
neighbor boys. No, we wont go in swimming in the 
pond, we'll just wade round the shallow places near the 



288 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

bank unless some one pushes us into deep water and 
then w^e'll have to swim; no, we won't hunt rabbits or 
indudge in any unseemly merriment on Sunday; but 
sometimes we can't slip off from the dogs and they will 
follow us and we hate to rock them back home; we 
mustn't be cruel to animals, for once there was a boy 
in the second reader and he was bad; he used to stick 
pins in flies instead of swattin' 'em and throw stones at 
dogs and when he grew up to be a man he got to be a 
monopolist and had to appear before the Congressional 
Committee or something just as dreadful happened to 
him; no, we won't impose on the neighbor boys; but 
they mustn't muddy our swimming hole, they mustn't 
climb our apple trees, they m.ustn't run our rabbits or 
''sic" their dogs on our dogs and they mustn't call us 
names or irritate us any way; we are peaceable but we 
can't bear to be irritated — and — we are not bound to tel] 
everything that takes place. 

Old folks have such queer ideas about what they want 
boys to learn and spend their time on. Who was Pub- 
lius Virgilius Naso, and why didn't he write in plain 
English? Nix on that stuff about the Trojan horse as 
big as a mountain (instar montis). Wliat difference 
does it make if Queen Dido did stand on the beach in 
the moonlight and wave with her willow wand for her 
recreant lover to come again to Carthage? He never 
came, did he? And what if Tityrus, at ease under the 
shade of a beech tree, did elect during the summer day 
to pipe his paeans to the charms of the beautiful Amaryl- 
lis; did that make his corn grow any better? That was 
his business. What Johnnie wants to know is: ''Why 
spend five days out of seven in acquiring this informa- 
tion, when the fish are fairly itching to bite and the call 
of the wild is sounding in his ears and especially when 
his high school nine is straining every nerve to win the 
pennant in the B. U. M. Baseball League?" Up, com- 
rades, and at them! Progress is here; get out of the 
way or you will get run over by the automobile! Lin- 
coln struck the shackles from the slaves but Ty Cobb 
still holds the batting record! 

, But now the pond, mentioned in the outset of this 
article, is about dried up, the apple trees have died of 
old age; the war rendered the negro cabins useless and 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 289 

they were torn down; few now living know that there 
ever was a store there and that S. Y. B. Williams clerked 
in it; there is not a stick or stone remaining to show 
where the barn stood; even the depot and water tank 
are gone and have never been rebuilt ; ' ' Facility, ' ' the 
post-office, has long since been abolished by the gov- 
ernment and absorbed by Sweetwater and Dan. Scruggs 
of Route No. 2 is now ''it;" most of those living there 
in the fifties have passed to the great beyond. The 
old residence, though somewhat dilapidated, is yet 
standing; some magnificent old oak in a grove near the 
railway, still lend a majestic attraction to the scene. 

I am happy to state that the girl, who used to play 
the piano for us and give us pies and cakes between 
times, is a much loved and respected grandmother in 
the town of Sweetwater. 

One of the Reagan family is now living at the station. 
He was called ''James" by his mother, "Avery'.' by his 
father, '^Jeems" by the darkeys, "Jim" by the neigh- 
bors, "Legs" by his intimates, Reagan by his college- 
mates, is called Major by the road men, Judge by the 
lawyers and his former associates in the county court„ 

He married about a quarter of a century ago (1889). 
He is still married, but with this difference : For many 
years of their married life Mrs. Lizzie Reagan was 
known as the wife of Judge James Avery Reagan ; J. A. 
Reagan, Esq., is now known in several states of the 
union, as the husband of Mrs. Elizabeth Buchanan Rea- 
gan and I have not heard of his objecting to it. The 
writer of this often revisits these scenes of his boyhood 
days in imagination, and sometimes in person. He still 
remains to bear testimony to the fact that in the times 
before the war at Reagan's, when two or three or more 
of us were gathered together, there would be enough 
ideas in our midst to cause somethin' to be doin' in 
pretty short order. 

James Hayes Reagan was born February 12, 1800. 
I am unable to sa^- now exactly where. In 1822 or 1823 
he started to go west. However on his way he chanced 
to stop at the house of the Rev. Irby Holt, who then 
lived about one-half mile west of where Reagan's Sta- 
tion now is. This determined his future life. He went 
into the mercantile business with Mr. Holt. Tlie near- 



290 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

est stores then were at Athens, Madisonville and Phila- 
delphia. Before many years a United States post-office 
was needed, as there were none nearer than the places 
mentioned; and it was petitioned for and obtained. In 
the rapid settling up of the new country there was need 
for everything in the way of household goods and sales 
were easily made at good profit. 

He married Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. Irby Holt, on 
April 22, 1824. 

General Reagan was an all-round business man; he 
prospered as a merchant, a farmer and a banker and 
became one of the wealthiest men in East Tennessee in 
his day. He was also popular with the people and was 
considerable of a politician. He was a strong Jackson 
and Polk man. He was known as an uncompromising 
Democrat. In 1836 he was elected as senator from the 
counties of McMinn and Monroe to represent these coun- 
ties in the General Assembly of the state. In the His- 
tory of Tennessee by Garrett and Goodpasture on page 
257, section 463, under the head of "First Railroad Con- 
struction ' ' we find this : ' ' Through the influence of Sen- 
ator James H. Reagan, afterward a distinguished cit- 
izen of Texas, the Legislature granted a charter of in- 
corporation to the Hiwassee Railroad Company, in 

1836, for the purpose of constructing a railroad through 
the Hiwassee District to the southern boundary of the 
state. The road was surveyed and ground broken in 

1837, being the first work ever done on a railroad in this 
state. In 1848 the charter was renewed and the name of 
the corporation changed to the East Tennessee and 
Georgia Railroad Company. The road was not com- 
pleted (to Kjioxville) until 1856." 

This is all perfectly correct history, except that John 
H. Reagan, postmaster general, C. S. A., Governor of 
Texas and U. S. Senator from that state was not the 
Reagan spoken of and was never a member of the Ten- 
nessee Legislature but a cousin of his, James H. Reagan, 
w^ho was a citizen of McMinn County for more than 
forty years and who again in 1853 represented Monroe 
and McMinn in the Legislature. 

Major W. B. L. Reagan, son of J. H. Reagan, is re- 
sponsible for thei following statement: "Father was 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 291 

a brigadier general of militia. When the Mexican War 
came up he was making every arrangement in his busi- 
ness to go to Mexico. General Caswell of Knox also 
wanted to go, and then governor of the state (Aaron V. 
Brown) had them to "cast lots" for it. Caswell ''drew 
the long straw," much to father's disappointment." 

G. and G.'s History of Tennessee says: "Upon the 
requisition of the War Department, on the 26th of May, 
1847, Governor Brown called for three regiments of 
volunteers, numbering in all 2,800 men. In answer to 
this call, 30,000 volunteers promptly tendered their 
services. So eager were they all for services that it 
became necessary to adopt some mode of selection. Ac- 
cordingly the governoi-f directed the four major gen- 
erals of the state to decide by ballot, according to rules 
laid down, the companies to be received from their re- 
spective divisions." 

This shows how the men were selected but not how 
the commanders were chosen. What sort of hocus po- 
cus was resorted to determine this I have not been able 
to find out. As General Reagan was totally ignorant of, 
and averse to. all forms of gambling perhaps he did 
not get a square deal. Wliat would have been his future 
career had he gone to Mexico can be only a matter of 
conjecture. No doubt it w^ould have made a great dif- 
ference in his after life. The battle of Beuna Vista, and 
not such a great battle after all, made two presidents, 
Zachary Taylor, President of U. S. A., and Jefferson 
Davis, his son-in-law. President of the C. S. A. 

Aaron V., Brown, a very eloquent and powerful man 
on the stump, was governor. He was afterwards post- 
master general under President Buchanan. He was de- 
feated in his next race for governor by Neill S. Brown. 
His defeat is not unlikely due the fact that so many 
got mad at him because they wanted to fight and did 
not get to fight. We have now so much advanced in 
civilization that those whose voices are loudest for war 
with Mexico now, will be the "most afraid" of bullets 
when the war is really upon us. 



292 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

General J. H. Eeagan's Railroad Record. 

In these days of railway construction and immense 
fortunes it is a comparatively simple matter to build 
a railroad, when once a proper charter is obtained from 
the state. Not so in those days. A standard oil mag- 
nate can run his cars into the sounding deep, as Flagler 
did along the Florida keys, easier than the people of 
Georgia and Tennessee then could through the moun- 
tains. They can do now with money and scientific ap- 
pliances what was not even dreamed of in the ''Arabian 
Nights. ' ' When General Reagan had gotten the charter 
from the Tennessee Legislature his work had not fairly 
begun. Money at that time could not be borrowed in 
New York for the purpose. If the railroad was built 
at all, it must be done by the people along the line in the 
Hiwassee and Ocoee Districts. Many of these had 
not as yet finished paying for the tracts of land which 
they had purchased from the state. In many instances 
work was done and material furnished and stock in the 
railroad was taken in payment therefor. 

Thus the very men who used the railroad as a com- 
mon carrier were the ones who owned the stock in it. 

W. B. L. Reagan (son of James H.) says: ''The con- 
trolling officers of the road induced General Reagan to 
take charge of the work of building the road as super- 
intendent and to use his own discretion in all matters. 
He w^as very successful. Wlien he got it finished to 
near Cleveland, he applied to the company to release 
him, as his owti business matters were suffering serious- 
ly for want of attention. They endeavored to get him 
to continue as general superintendent, but he declined. 
They then offered him the position as president. He 
told them that it would be impossible for him to assume 
the responsibility as his own private business would 
need all his time. He' was made a life director and 
served as such faithfully with much profit to the com- 
pany. 

"He loaned tho companv (The Hiwassee Railroad 
Co., and its successor the E. T. & Ga. R. R. Co.) $150- 
.000." 

Previous to the breaking out of the Civil War from 
1831 to 1854 the General Assembly of the state passed 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 293 

various acts, coming under the general head of Inter- 
nal Improvement Acts, to assist the construction of 
railroads. The one pro\'ing most effective was that 
of 1852. "Under this act (History of Tenn., G. & G.) 
when any railroad company with bona fide subscrip- 
tion to grade, bridge and prepare the whole extent of 
its main line for iron rails, had prepared a certain 
extent of its roadbed, it was entitled to receive $8,000 
(per mile) of the 6 per cent, bonds of the state, to be 
used in ironing and equipping the road. These bonds 
were to have the force and etfect of a first lien or mort- 
gage on the road, its franchises and equipments. Un- 
der this act and its subsequent amendments, about $14,- 
000,000 of bonds were issued, prior to the Civil War, 
making the total issue to railroads up to this time about 
15 millions." 

One of the first deeds to right of wav in Monroe 
County to E. T. & Ga. R. R. Co. was from Matthew Nel- 
son of Philadelphia, at one time treasurer of the State. 
For the consideration of 9 shares of the capital stock 
of the E. T. & Ga. R. R. Co. he conveys, to-wit: ''The 
right of way through his lands in Monroe County, Tenn., 
where said road is now located, to include such width 
as is necessary for the working and proper construction 
of said road; said land being the southeast quarter 
of section 5, township 1, range 2, Hiwassee District, it 
being the land upon which he now resides and upon 
Avhich the town of Philadelphia is located." (Still lo- 
cated on that tract in 1914.) The date of the deed is 
November 22, 1850. The witnesses to Nelson's signa- 
ture are D. H. Jones, I. T. Lenoir and John Stanfield. 

I think at that time (1850) the road was graded 
through the greater part of Sweetwater Valley; for the 
reason that the right of way grade was used in some 
places as a public road between the neighborhood where 
Sweetwater now is and Philadelphia. Mr. J. A. Reagan 
is authority for the statement that construction reached 
the location of Mouse Creek (Niota) early in February, 
1852. Not a great while thereafter cars were running 
to Sweetwater. Here a "Y" or a turn switch was made 
among the timber close to where the new Scruggs brick 
building is being erected. For some time this place be- 
came the terminus of the road. However in about six 



294 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

months the railroad was constructed to Loudon, where 
it hung up for nearly two years awaiting the completion 
of the bridge across the Tennessee River. Loudon was 
on a. boom and predictions were frequent that it would 
be many, many 3^ears before trains would be running to 
Knoxville, if they ever were. 

In considering the location of the railroad, the ques- 
tion is sometimes asked by the more observant; why 
the road went up the hill (Sweetwater ridge) at Athens 
just to get to come down again. The question is easily 
answered. When the railroad was being built Athens 
(as its name might imply) was by far the most impor- 
tant town in lower East Tennessee, more so than even 
Chattanooga. There was a bank there of which Gen- 
eral Reagan was president. The sentiments of the 
town could not be disregarded. The railroad must 
come to them if it did have to climb a ridge to do so. 
I am inclined to the opinion that one reason of Gen- 
eral Reagan's resignation as superintendent of con- 
struction was that he knew that question of location 
would come up and being a politician and also a large 
creditor of the company, he did not wish it even sus- 
pected that he used his official position to determine 
the location. Few of late years would hesitate to use 
official influence for private gain. However the way 
is not so smooth and easy as it was a few years since. 



Second Marriage. 

On September 3, 1835, General Reagan married his 
second wife, Myra Ann Lenoir. She was magnificently 
endowed mentally and morally and had received all the 
advantages of education which our southern country 
could bestow. She was the daughter of William Ballard 
Lenoir of Roane County. She was eminently fitted to 
be the wife of such a man. She had the noble and beau- 
tiful impulses of the woman, combined with the sound 
sense and logical acumen of the sterner sex. When Gen- 
eral Reagan was absent attending to his varied busi- 
ness affairs there was no fear in his mind that those at 
home and on the farm would not be looked after. From 
the time of their marriage till 1861 everything of theirs 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 295 

prospered. The sky of life was cloudless ; there were no 
gloomy da^^s. 

The situation at the outbreak of the Civil War briefly 
told was this: They had 2,000 acres of land in Sweet- 
water Valley, a considerable portion of this in a high 
state of cultivation, and in as healthful a location as in 
this or any other country; there were $75,000 still due 
him from the East Tennessee & Ga. Railroad Company, 
and equally that much from individuals, which hereto- 
fore he had never had a lawsuit to collect any of; he 
was president of a bank and owned large stock there- 
in; he was deservedly popular and could have gotten 
almost any office he desired; they had a family of chil- 
dren of which any parents ought to have been proud; 
also he had forty or more negroes who were well fed 
and clothed, not overworked and apparently satisfied 
with their lot; thus from a southerner's point of view 
the condition was ideal. 

But what startling and almost unbelievable changes 
can ''man's inhumanity to man" bring about! 

The poets sometimes write beautifully of war, ex- 
pressing sentiments such as: 

''Oh if there be, on this earthly sphere, 
A boon, an offering heaven holds dear, 
'Tis the last libration liberty draws 
From the heart that bleeds and breaks 
in her cause." 

But had the war of 1861-5 anything to do with liberty! 
Lincoln solemnly affirmed, time and again, that he was 
not fighting to free the negroes. It might have been 
then to free us from the toil and trouble of taking care 
of the negroes. The white folks did not wish to be lib- 
erated; however, as Kipling says: "That is. another 
story. ' ' 

Some of the things that happened to General Reagan 
and family were : $75,000 due from the E. T. & Ga. R. 
R. Co. that were paid in bonds of the Confederate States 
of America, forced upon General Reagan by the com- 
pany, became worthless. This debt could, have been 
collected after the war but the heirs refused to take 
any steps in that direction. The debts due from indi- 



296 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

viduals were nearly all lost through inability or unwill- 
ingness to pay. The negroes instead of being prop- 
erty became our masters at the ballot box. 

But we will let Mrs. Reagan tell her own story (which 
explains itself) in letters written at the time. Being a 
careful, prudent woman the picture was underdrawn 
rather than overdrawn. The letter that follows was not 
in any envelope but the two sheets were folded in the 
old fashioned way. Thus only three pages could be used 
in the body of the lettter and the other was outside with 
the address upon it. The letter was sealed with a wafer 
and a seal. The seal had a rough surface with no mono- 
gram upon it. Reagan's was at the time of the writing 
of the letter in the rebel lines while Memphis was held 
by the Federal forces. The address was: Mrs. Eliza 
M. Martin, Memphis, Tenn. There was no postage 
stamp on the letter nor were there any marks to show 
methods of transportation or date of delivery. There 
must have been an ''underground mail" system. This 
was called so because carried on without the knowledge 
of the military. Any one caught carrying these letters 
was in danger of being executed as a spy. 

McMinn County, E. Tenn.. 

Oct. 28, —'63. 
Dear Sister Eliza: 

It has been a long time since I have had the pleasure of a letter 
from you, or had the chance of writing to you. Dr. Green, a resident 
of your place (Memphis), who is in Cheatham's Division, told me to- 
day that he would send a letter for me. I will try to give you a few 
items, though surrounding circumstances are not favorable for writing 
anything like a connected letter. Cheatham's Division are camped 
here and it would be hard to imagine the annoyance and confusion. 
East Tennessee is thronged with soldiers now, both Federal and Con- 
federate, and Sweetwater Valley seems destined to experience the 
horrors of war. Several skirmishes have occurred between here and 
Loudon — more about Philadelphia than any other place. Yesterday 
week the Rebels surprised Wolford's brigade, which were encamped 
around W. F. L.'s (Lenoir's) house, completely routing them and 
taking some four or five hundred prisoners, some sixty vehicles, tents 
and everything they had there. There were not a great many casual- 
ties. Since that there have been some cannonading and picket fight- 
ing. Since that troops of infantry have come in and appearances in- 
dicate that there will be heavy fighting, or retreating by one side or 
the other. Two large armies cannot long subsist here with communi- 
cations cut off. This Valley begins to show the footprints of the 
armies. We have had both to camp here. The Federals injured us 
in one stay — taking all of our hay, fodder and oats — wasting prob- 
ably four times as much as they consumed, as it was a wet time. 
Much fencing and some other things were burned and a great deal 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 297 

of corn -wasted, fields turned out and so forth — too tedious to men- 
tion — hogs, sheep, turkeys and chickens killed — some hogs shot that 
died afterward. Since the Yankees came we have been closely at 
home and know certainly but little that is transpiring among our 
friends. When we hear anything, we do not know how much of it is 
true. * * * It is distressing times here and I am afraid it will 
still be worse. What is to become of us our heavenly Father only 
knows. Soldiers, bushrangers and robbers! Everything in confusion 
and tending to disorganization! We hope our enemies will not re- 
main much longer, but we cannot tell what the future will reveal. 
(Here follows news of the relatives not of general interest.) * * * 
Catherine's (widow of A. S. Lenoir) folks were well a short time 
since. Robbers (bushwhackers) took $1,000 from her and such things 
as they wanted out of the house. Frank Welcker's (son-in-law of 
General Reagan by deceased wife) house was robbed of everything, 
even to the bed that Mrs. Welcker was lying on and the furniture 
hauled away. W. F. L.'s (Lenoir's) house was visited; guns, blankets 
and clothing taken. (Done by bushwhackers claiming to be Unionists.) 
Many others have suffered in the same way. * * * Many Southern 
men have left home. Some have returned; others are waiting for 
things to become more settled. Many Union men leave home when 
the Rebels are in the ascendant, and so they have it in turn. * * * 
Mr. Reagan's health is bad; worse for the last year than before. 
* * * Lenoir and James (her sons) have been at home for a few 
days. They were in the fight at Philadelphia. 

James left home when Loudon was evacuated (by Rebels). I 
have heard from Julia (afterward Mrs. Love), we are all here but 
her. She is well but anxious to come home. Cousin Thomas Lenoir 
(of Haywood County, N. C.) thinks she had better remain there until 
the Yankees are driven out of East Tennessee. We have been talking 
of sending for her, thinking she would rather be at home and suffer 
with the balance of us. * * * ^ good many negro men and some 
women have gone to the Yankees; some four or five of ours. It! is 
getting bedtime and I do not expect to have a chance of writing in 
the morning, as it keeps me busy to talk to and wait upon the s:olr 
diers. If we never meet again in this world may we meet in a bet- 
ter. 

Affectionately your sister, 

M. A. R, 

29th, 9 A. M. The Yankees have evacuated Loudon and the division 
is under marching orders. Will fold this ready for sending. May 
heaven's choicest blessings rest on you and yours. 

M. A. R. (M. A. Reagan). 

In continuation of these sketches about the Reagan 
family I can not see how I can do bf'tter than to give 
the contents of another letter from Mrs. Reagan to her 
sister, Mrs. Martin, of Memphis, Tenn. The former let- 
ter was dated October 28, 1863. 

This was shortly after the battle of Philadelphia. At 
that time all the family were at home except her daugh- 
ter, Julia, afterward Mrs. Love, who was in North Car- 



298 HISTOKiT OV SWEETWATER VALLEY 

olina. Lenoir and James A. were soldiers in the rebel 
army. Tliey shortly afterward went with Longstreet 
to the siege of Knoxville. John, then a boy of 15, re- 
mained at home with his father and mother. Lenoir 
and James were w^ith Vaughn in the upper East Tennes- 
see campaign and also in Early's campaign in the Shen- 
andoah Valley. Lenoir Reagan was wounded near Win- 
chester, Va., on July 24, 1864, and for many weeks lay 
at the point of death a prisoner of war. On July 25, 
General Reagan was arrested at home and taken to 
Knoxville. All East Tennessee was then in possession 
of the Federal forces. We will now let Mrs. Reagan 
tell to her sister, Mrs. Martin, some things that hap- 
pened : 

At Home, Dec. 5th, 1864. 
Dear Sister E.: 

* * * You will probably have heard before this of the death 
of Mr. Reagan. He died in Knoxville on the morning of the 15th of 
October. He was taken there the 25th of July as a hostage for a man 
of this county, who was carried Soutli last fall. He (Mr. Reagan) 
was taken there (to Knoxville) on the 25th of July. The last that 
man's friends heard of him, he was sick in a hospital last winteri, 
and it is believed that he died, and it is also thought that he was held 
as a prisoner of war as he told the men that arrested him that he 
was a Federal soldier. It is said that he joined a company but had 
never been mustered into service. His father's and his father-in-law's 
families were all acquaintances and friends of Mr. Reagan's, and his 
wife petitioned that he be permitted to come home on parole; but the 
Provo Marshal at A. (Athens) thought he had not been sufficiently 
punished for opinion's sake (they could make no charge against him) 
and would not fully endorse it. After a new Provo was appointed, 
another petition was gotten up and signed and sent up a few days 
before Mr. Reagan's death, which procured an order for his release, 
and he was to have been sent home on Sunday, the 16th. Instead of 
his coming home to enjoy the comforts of his own fireside, his life- 
less remains were sent — to rest a few hours in his once loved home 
and then to rest beside our departed son's body till the morning of 
the resurrection. Mr. Reagan had been a great sufferer for years and 
could not bear confinement. I made his condition known to the au- 
thorities soon after his arrest, and my belief that he could not sur- 
vive a prison life. I entreated them if they could not permit him to come 
home, to let him have the liberty of the town and board at a private 
house. His many friends seemed willing and anxious to do anything 
they could for his release, but it seems they could not effect it in time. 
He is done with the troubles of this world, and I have an assuring 
hope that he has gone where troubles and sorrows will never be 
permitted to enter. * * * j jj}^ ^q^ ggg j^jjjj during his imprison- 
ment. He would not agree for me to go up, as I would be allowed 
to see him but a few minutes at a time in the presence of a guard, 
and he did not wish to see me subjected to the treatment I might 
have to receive, and I was not apprised of his last illness in time to 
go. He was taken to the hospital four days before his death. The 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 299 

disease was said to be jaundice, which his appearance indicated. A 
kind friend procured a metalic burial case and suitable clothing, and 
another friend accompanied the remains home. 

Excerpts from letters from Mrs, Reagan to Mrs. Mar- 
tin, her sister, heretofore given, graphically and con- 
cisely describe some of the events in our valley in the 
sixties. From these we can form some idea of the hor- 
rors of war. What happened to the Reagan family 
could be truthfully written of numerous others in our 
section. Yet here we did not get the worst of it. There 
were few if any houses burned and outrages committed 
by the regular troops on either side, as was the case 
in Georgia in Sherman's March to Sea or in the Shenan- 
doah Valley and Manassas plains of Virginia. The 
mere recital of the dead and wounded in battle shows 
but a small fraction of the evils of war — Its resultants 
are debts, demoralization, disease, famine and an en- 
during crop of personal feuds and national hatreds. 

One hundred years ago a war lord was a captive 
in the isle of Elba. As a person he was supposed to be 
eliminated from the list of European monarchs. Yet one 
year later he was the central figure in a war of nations 
in Belgium, now the theatre of a conflict beside which, 
the loss of life and property at Waterloo will appear 
insignificant. No time now for '' beauty and chivalry" 
to gather in Belgium's capital; for the happening there 
will be of lightning like rapidity. The gatherings there 
will be all warlike. The pity of it is that that little na- 
tion had nothing to do with bringing on the conflict and 
not one of her inhabitants wanted to fight. Whatever 
the result, she will be ground to powder between the 
upper and nether millstones. Wliat to her is the ' ' pomp 
and circumstance of glorious war!" Wliat a spectacle 
to the heathen of ten million trained soldiers of Chris- 
tian nations, preaching the Gospel of Peace, using all 
their ingenuity and energies in destroying each other! 

As a writer has said : ''It is the twilight of the gods. " 
Our human understanding can but faintly illumine the 
clouds of providential gloom that now lower on the 
European horizon. Napoleon had his Waterloo and St. 
Helena; William, the "war lord," today the most force- 
ful (1915) personality on the face of the globe, may 



300 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

have his inglorious defeats and his rock bound island 
captivity. 



The following beautiful tribute is taken from an 
obituary written for the Nashville Christian Advocate 
by L. L. H. Carlock, D. D. : 

"Departed this life, at the residence of her son-in-law, Colonel 
James R. Love, near Sweetwater, Tenn., on March 8, 1879, Mrs, Mira 
A. Reagan, in the 69th year of her age. * * * 

She had been a member of the Church from early life, at which 
time she made a profession of religion and joined the M. E. Church, 
South. * * * 

Her character was perfect in its proportions; not rugged nor erratic, 
but harmonious, symmetrical and unobtrusive; yielding its fruit not 
by paroxysms, but regularly and constantly; moulded not after Wes- 
ley or Fletcher or Watson, but after the pattern shown her "in the 
mount," where she had communed with Him and grown into His like- 
ness. For her a personal, present Saviour was the only one who could 
solve the enigma of life — the Sun of righteousness, the only infallible 
standard by which to set your timepieces for eternity. * * * 

Her religious life was convincing; not demonstrative, but demon- 
strating." 



William Ballard Lenoir Reagaist. 

He was the oldest son of General James H. and Mira 
A. Reagan. He was born in Sweetwater Vallev, Mc- 
Minn County, Tenn., May 31, 1838; died at Terrell, 
Texas, September 1, 1913. 

When a boy he received such education as the public 
schools afforded at the time and also went a year to 
Prof. Aldehoff's private school at Kingston, Tenn. 
When quite a youth he went into a branch bank of the 
state at Athens, as assistant cashier to David Cleage, 
who was cashier, and his father the president. He re- 
mained in that position until the beginning of the Civil 
War, executing his duties with exactness and fidelity. 

He first went into the w^ar as a member of the cornet 
band of Colonel J. C. Vaughn's 3rd Tennessee regiment, 
of which G. R. Knabe, afterward of Knoxville, was the 
leader. However, he did not remain long a member of 
the band as he wished to be in the thick of the fight. He 
served first in Colonel Vaughn's regiment in Virginia, 
and afterward served as first lieutenant and adjutant in 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 301 

Colonel John R. Neil's Sixteenth battalion, Tennessee 
cavalry, Rucker's legion, Pegram's brigade, under Gen- 
eral Bragg in Kentucky and Tennessee. He was under 
General Forest in the battle of Chickamauga, and after- 
ward served in General Vaughn's mounted infantry 
brigade in the valley of Virginia and Maryland cam- 
paigns and was in the battles in which his command was 
engaged up to the time he w^as wounded near Winches- 
ter, Va., July 24, 1864, where he lost his leg. Soon after 
that date he was captured and sent to prison, where he 
remained until June, 1865. 

The General J. C. Vaughn, Chapter No. 1224 of the 
United Daughters of the Confederacy, at Sweetwater, 
conferred upon him a cross of honor in January, 1910. 
Lenoir Reagan had a very minute and accurate recollec- 
tion of the events of the Civil War in which he was en- 
gaged, and was fond of talking of them. He related 
reminiscences in a very interesting manner. It was never 
his intention to exploit himself and his own part came in 
frequently, only by implication. In one of his stories 
he said: "Once I was with the rear guard in coming 
from Kentucky, near Point Burnside. The Cumberland 
river was at flood tide and the army was slow in cross- 
ing. A mile or so from the river, being very weary and 
having lost much sleep, I lay down in a cabin and told 
an old dark}^ to wake me up when, all the rebel soldiers 
had passed. Several hours afterward the old negro 
shook me and said: 'Boss, your men are all gone. If 
you don't mind, the Yankees w^ill git you.' I got on my 
horse and galloped to the river. The last boat had got- 
ten some distance from the shore. I hailed them and 
told them to come back and take me over. The officer 
in command said it was impossible to do so, that they 
would be captured, and ordered the men to proceed. 
Some of the soldiers on the boat, knowing my voice, dis- 
regarded the orders of the officer and forced those row- 
ing the boat to come back and take me aboard, and all 
got over to safety." 

This is told to show the regard and esteem in which 
he was held by his comrades, who saved him from cap- 
ture even at the risk of being shot for disobedience of 
orders. 

The late Judge J. M. King, of Knoxville, was one of 



302 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

his comrades in prison at Fort Delaware. After his 
return from prison, Mr. Reagan engaged in farming at 
the old farm on which he was born. He remained there 
until a few years ago, when he moved to Texas. He was 
a member of the J. E. B. Stuart Camp, No. 45, U. C. V., 
at Terrell, Texas. Members of this camp helped to care 
for him and relieve his sufferings in his last illness. 

Fort Delaware was on an island in the northern part 
of Delaware Bay, a few miles out from Delaware City. 
It was used during the Civil War mostly as a prison for 
captured officers of the Confederate army. The pris- 
oners were allowed to receive boxes and money from 
friends inside of the Federal lines. They were also al- 
lowed to write and receive a certain number of letters of 
prescribed length and contents. A prisoner could Avrite 
a letter to friends every two weeks on one side of a sheet 
furnished by the prison quartermaster. This sheet was 
not so large as the common letter paper but larger than 
the ordinary note. Of course all letters were strictly 
censored and contraband information and recondite 
meanings were looked for. If they contained any objec- 
tionable matter they were never delivered or sent. 
Cipher of any kind was not allowed and only such ab- 
breviations the meaning of which was plain; as **&" for 
''and," "tho" for ''though," "reed." for "received." 
Reagan wrote a very plain, neat hand not smaller than 
the ordinary business scrip. With this explanation I 
append in full one of his letters. This letter dated at 
Fort Delaware May 14, 1865, was post-marked at Del- 
aware City, May 16, thus giving time for censoring, and 
arrived at Memphis, Tenn., on the 22nd. 

Fort Delaware, Div. 25, 

May 14, 1865. 
Miss Bettie Martin, 
Memphis, Tenn. 

My Dear Cousin: 

Yours of the 6th instant came to hand yesterday evening. It was 
surely a welcome visitor and one that I had been daily expecting. 
Now that you have recovered from your fever I am glad I had not 
heard of the attack before, for I would have suffered from constant 
and painful anxiety, without the power to help ward off th.e blows 
of merciless enemy, or even being cognizant of the progress of the 
struggle. I hope you have fully recovered your health and spirits, 
though to do the latter will certainly require an extraordinary effort — 
that is, I feel it an almost impossibility for those with feelings sym- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 303 

pathetic with my own to enjoy their wonted cheerfulness and hope. 
As to us prisoners being offered our release on the terms granted 
General Lee and army, is something we had not the least cause to 
expect. I do not suppose, my dear cousin, there is one among us 
who intends to live in the States, but what entertains very little hope 
of getting his release on terms less than what we are made to under- 
stand will at some time be offered us— that of taking the oath of 
allegiance to the government we propose to live under. Some few 
are even fearful that those terms will not be granted. Others, by 
special application, are leaving daily. As much as I desire to be re- 
leased, and knowing that so long as I remain here I can be of service 
to no one,, an increasing injury to my health, and a source of uneasi- 
ness to my best friends, I will never do anything to escape these evils 
that I consider in the least dishonorable. I will bide my time, trust- 
ing soon to be released. Give my love to all, and please write at 
once. 

Affectionately your cousin, 

L. REAGAN. 

When the Confederates under General Early evac- 
uated Winchester, W. Va., Reagan was unable to be 
moved; consequently he was captured by the Federals. 
Later on he was transferred to the old Capitol Prison 
at Washington, D. C. In November, 1864, he was taken 
to Fort Delaware, from which place the above letter was 
w^ritten. The journey now by rail would be only a mat- 
ter of hours ; then it occupied perhaps a week or more. 
It was made with a number of other prisoners on a 
prison ship. The route was down the Potomac River 
to the Chesapeake Bay; thence down that bay by Fort- 
ress Monroe through Hampton Roads to the Atlantic; 
thence up the coast of Virginia to the mouth of Dela- 
ware Bay; thence north up the bay to the fort, making 
a journey of many hundreds of miles. The weather at 
the time was very bleak and stormy. The sufferings 
of the wounded prisoners were terrible. Reagan had 
undergone a double amputation at Winchester and was 
from loss of blood in a very weakened condition. He 
was exposed to the cold winds on the upper deck with- 
out sufficient clothing. The officer in charge of the pris- 
oners was asked to allow him to be moved to a more 
comfortable place or to furnish covering for him. His 
refusal was very brutal and positive. A companion, who 
was almost unknown to Reagan, then took off his own 
coat and spread it over him, thereby as he (Reagan) 
thinks saving his life. Owing to this kindly act he him- 
self took pneumonia which terminated fatally. So it 



304 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

often happens that war and suffering bring out the 
best as well as the worst qualities in humanity. Con- 
ditions were not much improved on arrival at the prison. 
One might think from reading some of the prisoners' 
letters that the stay there was rather pleasant than 
otherwise and that they were in no hurry to get away; 
but that was far from being the case. No criticism of 
guards or officers was allowed in any correspondence. 
Complaints of bad treatment to occasional inspectors 
only intensified the rigors of their prison life. The food 
furnished by the government often did not reach them. 
It was "grafted" and sold. Money and boxes sent 
prisoners by friends were partially or wholly appro- 
priated. They had no remedy. Fort Delaware from 
accounts of those who were there was one of the worst 
of the Federal prisons. The guards were short term 
men or foreigners who could scarcely speak English so 
as to be understood, and thought they would be com- 
mended for cruel treatment of prisoners. 

Reagan did not have to take the oath of allegiance but 
was finally released on parole. 

I have written the above not with the purpose of mak- 
ing any comparison between Fort Delaware and Ander- 
sonville and Libby. Conditions in the last may have 
been, and probably were, just as bad, as in the northern 
prisons, barring the severity of the w^inters in the north- 
ern climate. What I wish to emphasize as strongly as 
possible is that prison life under the most favorable con- 
ditions either in war or peace is horrible to any human 
being whether inflicted by an enemy or b^^ a jury of 
peers. As cruelty exasperated the prisoners during the 
Civil AYar, so will undue severity make the inmates of 
our state penitentiaries the greater enemies to society. 
Deprivation of liberty and the companionship of our 
fellowmen are terrible punishments in themselves. 

The Ancestors of General James H. Reagan. 

The information below given about the Reagan family 
up to General James H. Reagan was obtained from W. 
M. Sweeney of 126 Franklin Street, Astoria, Long Is- 
land, N. Y., who has gone to great trouble and expense 
to trace the genealogy of the different branches of the 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 305 

Reagan family. His investigations have been very 
painstaking and thorough. Out of the material, which 
he has allowed me to use, I give these facts. 

The 'Regans were an ancient Catholic family in 
Ireland and about the year 1729 a number of them emi- 
grated to Pennsylvania. It seems that after coming to 
this country that they dropped the in their name and 
spelled the last part in a variety of ways. 

According to the first Federal census of the state of 
Pennsylvania of 1790, there were seven heads of fam- 
ilies of the name living in the state, viz : James Reagin, 
Weldin Reagan, Reason Reagan, Stephen Regan, John 
Regan, George Ragon and Phillip Ragin. I also have 
the military record of two Revolutionary soldiers from 
Pennsylvania, who served in the 2nd Pennsylvania regi- 
ment. They are James Reagan and Michael Reagan. 
James was killed October 4, 1777, at the Battle of Ger- 
mantown. They were both engaged in the Battle of 
Brandy wine, where Senator Reagan's great grandfather 
was wounded. They were both probably his relatives. 
This is taken from a letter of W. M. Sweeney to W. B. 
Lenoir dated November 15, 1915. In the same letter 
he gives these additional facts : 

I have just returned from a trip to Guilford County, 
N. C, where I made an examination of the records of 
that county to find traces of the Reagans, and thinking 
that the result of my investigations might interest you 
I write to inform you of the result. 

Under date of March 22, 1772, I find a deed from John 
Reagan and Mary, his wife, conveying 200 acres of land 
on the south side of the Dan River, to John and Samuel 
Henderson for a consideration of £150. (Deed Book 
1, page 96.) 

I also find a marriage bond dated March 28, 1776, 
signed by Thomas Cook and John Reagan, in which 
Thomas Cook agrees to marry Elizabeth Reagan (daugh- 
ter of John and Mary Reagan?). This Thomas Cook, 
who served in the Revolution as captain of the Independ- 
ent Company, Light Horse, North Carolina Militia, in 
Continental service, was a brother of Nancy Cook, who 
married James Reagan, Sr., who died near Knoxville, 
Tenn., in 1827. I think it is most likely that James Rea- 
gan, Sr., was a son of John and Mary Reagan. 



306 HISTORY. OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

A Deed dated May 22, 1782, from John Reagan to 
Francis Cook (the father of Captain Thomas Cook), con- 
veying ''156 acres of land, part of a tract of 640 acres 
of land granted to the said John Reagan December 16, 
1778." (Deed Book 2, page 200.) 

A grant (No. 835) of land from the state of North 
Carolina to James Reagan, dated October 14, 1783, con- 
veying 179 acres of land. (Deed Book 1, page 116.) 

Another Grant (No. 833) of land from the state of 
North Carolina to James Reagan, dated October 14, 
1783, conveving 150 acres of land. (Deed Book 1, page 
116.)- 

A deed dated January 1, 1783, from Samuel Parks 
to James Reagan, conveying 120 acres of land, consid- 
eration, £120. 

A deed dated September 12, 1785, from William Wil- 
son to James Reagan conveying 400 acres of land, con- 
sideration, £100. (Deed Book 4, page 30.) 

As the names of John and James Reagan are found 
in the first Federal census of the state of North Car- 
olina, 1790, it shows with the deeds that they were both 
residents of Guilford County from 1772 to 1790, at 
least. 

I do not find any record of John as a resident of Guil- 
ford County prior to 1772 nor of James prior to 1770, 
when his son, John (who died in East Tennessee in 
1857), was born there. Mr. Sweeney adds: 

I wrote to Senator Reagan some years ago and his re- 
ply was as follows : 

"My greatgrandfather, Timothy Reagan, was a native of Ireland, 
but came to this country before the American Revolution; lived in 
Pennsylvania, was a soldier of the Pennsylvania Line in the War of 
the Revolution, and was dangerously wounded at the battle of Brandy- 
wine. He subsequently moved to that part of North Carolina which 
was west of the Alleghany Mountains, and is now East Tennessee. 
He helped to build Lawson's Fort, the first fort built in what is 
now Sevier County, but which was then occupied by the Cherokee 
Indians. The name of my grandfather was Richard Reagan. He 
and the wife of Major James Porter were the first two white children 
born in the territory of what is now Sevier County, Tennessee, and 
they were born on the same day, but I do not know the date. My 
father, Timothy R. Reagan, was born in the same county, in 1797. 
I was born in the same county, 1818. 

"My greatgrandfather had a numerous family, mostly sons, and 
their descendants are scattered through the Southern and Western 
States, and are very numerous, though I know but little of them. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 307 

"I knew General James Reagan, of East Tennessee, and we called 
each other cousin, and, while we understood that we were of the same 
family, we did not- know the precise relationship between us. 

"Very respectfully, 

"JOHN H. REAGAN." 

"Mr. W. M. Sweeny, 
"Astoria, N. Y." 

From a letter from Joseph Reagan (a grandson of 
James Reagan, Sr.), to William M. Sweeney, of Astoria, 
Long Island, N. Y., we make the following extracts: 

"Conyers, Ga., April 8, 1895. 
"My Dear Nephew: 

"My grandfather (James Reagan) I never saw, but have heard that 
he was a man of fine and discriminate judgment. He accumulated' 
quite a good fortune in the way of land and negroes. I can recollect 
that when I was a boy ten or eleven years old he sent for all his chil- 
dren to come to see him. Some of them were living in Georgia. My 
father (James R.) was one of them, and one brother, Charles Reagan, 
and one sister went. They rode horseback from Georgia over the 
mountains of North Carolina and Georgia into Tennessee, two or three 
hundred miles. He divided out his negro property among all his chil- 
dren; I recollect my father brought home one of the largest horses 
I thought I ever saw and two likely negroes as his part. My grand- 
father kept enough to live comfortably on, but in less than a year 
afterward he died. In the year 1837 I made a trip into Tennessee, 
above Knoxville, near where he had lived. Uncle John Reagan, my 
father's oldest brother, lived there. I saw the old family Bible, in 
which I saw the record that grandfather had married three times 
and had fifteen children. Some of them I have never seen. One of 
them, Peter, came to Georgia and settled in upper Georgia at Rome. 
The youngest, William, went to Texas, and died there some years ago. 
Brother Thomas was well acquainted with him. He left a large family. 
My grandmother was named Cook. Grandfather married her (his 
second wife) in North Carolina before he moved to Tennessee. 

"When she died my father and his brother, Charles, and his sister. 
Fiances, were grown and they came to Georgia. 

"My grandfather Morrison (his mother's father) was named 
Joseph Higginbotham Morrison. You see, quite a long name. It is 
said that there were as many letters in his name as in the alphabet, 
and so there were." 

James Raggon made a mil of date July 23, 1821. 
The subscribing witnesses were John Rigney and John 
Calloway. He died sometime late in the year 1827. The 
will was admitted to probate in the Knox County Court 
in July, 1828. John, Peter and William Reagan, were 
the three executors to the will — ''The undernamed, ten 
of my children" were mentioned as devisees in the 
will: John, May, Ann, James, Charles, Franky, Peter, 



308 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Eaehel, Rebekah and William, and one nephew, Havern 
Baggon to whom he bequeathed a 42-acre tract of land. 
After disposing of a few items of personal property, 
he directs that the balance of the realty and personalty 
be sold and the proceeds divided equally among the ten 
children; from the parts of certain ones were to be de- 
ducted specified sums which he had charged to them. 
From Peter 's part was to be taken the sum of $370. As 
this will was made in 1821, the father likely gave this 
in money or its equivalent when he went to Sweetwater 
Valley. Peter came here and married Miss Cunnyng- 
ham. 

It appears from this will and from precious gifts to 
children mentioned by James Reagan, of Con^^ers, Ga., 
that James Raggon of Guilford County, was an eminent- 
ly'' successful business man. "Who the other five of the 
fifteen children set down in the John Reagan Bible and 
whether living or not at the w^riting of the will is not 
known. 

EXTRACTS FROM AN OBITUARY OF JOHN REAGAN, PUBLISHED 
IN KNOX COUNTY. 

"Died on Jan. 25, 1857, at the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. 
Thomas McMilland, Knox County, Tennessee, Mr. John Reagan in 
his 87th year. The deceased was horn in Rocliingham County, North. 
Carolina (then Guilford) May 24, 1770. He emigrated and lived in 
South Carolina and afterwards to Kentucky and later to Knox County, 
Tenn., where he resided since 1910." 

(Note: — Thus any one of three states, North Carolina, Georgia or 
Kentucky might have been the birthplace of James Hays Reagan, 
his son.) 

The obituary continues: "In his extreme old age, though nearly 
blind, he retained in a remarkable degree, his vivacity, his cheerful- 
ness and his quaint humor. Age never chilled the ardor of his friend- 
ship; infirmity never impaired the exercise of his good nature and 
cordial feelings; debility never blunted the keen edge of his wit. He 
was without avarice, envy, ostentation or malice. He never had an 
enemy; never owed anybody anything but good will. Interment was 
at Lebanon churchyard, where repose the remains of a former wife 
whom he has survived thirty-four years." 

Reagan Genealogical Table. 

A John Reagan came from Pennsylvania and settled 
in Guilford County, N. C. His wife's name was Mary. 

One son, James, b. ; d. in 1827. James m. three 

times: (first) Miss Hays; (second) Nancy, daughter of 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 309 

Francis and Betty Cook; (third) unknown. Children 
of James R., whose names are known are : 

1. John, by first wife ; 2. James ; 3. Charles ; 4. Frances 
(m. Narreniore) ; 5. Peter; 6. William, Rebekah by 
second wife; Mav (m. Whitter), Ann (m. Hamlin), 
Rachel (m. McCall). 

1. John had a son (1) James Hays and (2) a daughter 
Sarah, who married Thomas McMillan, of Knox County, 
Tenn. 

5. Peter m. Nancy, daughter of Jesse Cunnyngham 
of Monroe County. He went to Rome, Ga., where he 
died. Children were Carrie and Addie. (See Mayes.) 

7. Rebekah m. Wm. Burns, a merchant of Athens, 
Tenn. 

2. James, son of James and Nancy R. 

James, b. Guilford County, N. C, July 2, 1780; d. Pike 
County, Ga., December 27, 1855; m. in Elbert County, 
Ga., January 8, 1805, Mary Dandridge Morrison, daugh- 
ter of Joseph Higginbotham Morrison and Francis Hig- 
ginbotham. Mary D. Morrison was b. in Virginia, 

, 1784; d. in Elbert County, Ga., September 8, 

1839. Children of James and Mary D. M. Reagan: 

William Morrison, b. January 10, 1806; d. February 
25 1858 

John,*b. January 28, 1808; d. June 22, 1862. 

Martha, b. Mav 31, 1810; d. Julv 28, 1828. 

Nancv A., b. Mav 15, 1813; d. August 6, 1872. 

Charles, b. Mav 13, 1815; d. October 8, 1874. 

Joseph, b. March 29, 1817 ; d. February 28, 1904. 

James, b. Julv 26, 1819 ; d. September 5, 1896. 

• Francis W. Reagan, b. August 21, 1821; d. May 25, 
1865; m. December 14, 1845, Sarah C. Refo. Child, 
Eugenia Octavia, b. October 17, 1846 ; m. September 30, 
'1867, Thomas W. Sweenev. Children : Thomas Francis, 
/b. Julv 14, 1868; William Montgomery, b. August 29, 
;1871. ' 

. Mary Dandridge, b. October 8, 1823; d. January 22, 
1902. 

Sarah Elizabeth, b. August 6, 1825 ; d. October 30, 
1854. 

• Thomas Jefferson, b. March 21, 1828 ; d. May 9, 1887. 



310 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Mrs. J. U. Love. 

; Mrs. Julia Reagan Love, the second child of J. H. 
;and Mira Reagan, was born September 4, 1843. She 
went to school to Mrs. H. M. Cooke at Athens, Tenn., 
'also to Asheville, N. C. 

On November 18, 1868, m. Colonel James B. Love. He 
was born in Jackson County, N. C, August 19, 1832. 
Died at his residence near Sweetwater, Tenn,, on No- 
vember 10, 1885. His father was John Bell Love and 
his mother, Margaret Coman Love. They lived three 
itniles from Webster, N. C. 

James R. Love took the B. A. degree at Emory and 
Henry College 1858. He then studied law under Col- 
onel Nicholas Woodfin at Asheville, N. C. At the begin- 
ning of the w^ar he enlisted in the 16th North Carolina, 
(C. S. A.) Regiment. He was elected lieutenant-colonel 
in the 69th North Carolina Regiment, which was or- 
ganized in September, 1862, and he was made colonel 
of the regiment before the close of the Civil War. Not 
long after which he was elected to the lower house of 
the North Carolina Legislature. He was a member of 
the North Carolina Constitutional Convention and in 
1873 was elected to the state senate. After marriage he 
lived in Webster, N. C, where he practised law. He 
moved to Tennessee in November, 1876, having pur- 
chased part of the I. T. Lenoir farm. In 1884 he was 
elected representative from Monroe County to the Forty- 
fourth General Assembly, of which he was a member 
when he died. He was a member of the M. E. C, South. 
The children of James R. and Julia Love were: 

1. Son, d. infancy. 

2. Mira Lenoir, b. June 19, 1872. Educated at Cen- 
tenary College, Cleveland, Tenn., and graduate of Ashe- 
ville (N. C.) Female College. On May 8, 1902, she mar- 
ried J. W. Lowry, son of J. H. and Mary Caroline 
Lowry, of Sweetwater, Tenn. Her children are : Joseph 
Walker, Jr., b. August 27, 1903; Julia Love, b. May 8, 
1906; James Robert Love, b. November 16, 1907. 

3. Margaret Bell, b. August 4, 1874, at Webster, N. C. ; 
d. January, 1885. 

4. Julia 'Burgwdn, b. March 30, 1876, at Webster, N. C. 
Was educated at Price's School, Nashville, Tenn. She 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 311 

was married November, 1894 to Frank B. St. John, of 
Johnson City, Tenn., who was born June 16, 1870. His 
father was George W. St. John, of Virginia. His mother 
was Martha Blair, of Loudon County, Tenn. George W. 
St. J. settled near Watauga, Tenn. Frank B. St. J. is 
engaged in real estate business. Their children are : 
Frank Love, b. November 11, 1895. Louise Avery, b. 
July 5, 1893. Julia Love, b. December 18, 1910. 

5. James Reagan Love, b. September 3, 1877. Farmer, 
Sweetwater. 

6. Elizabeth Avery, b. September 3, 1879. Educated 
at Randolph-Macon Woman's College, Lynchburg, Va. 
Teacher, Sweetwater and Madisonville, Tenn. ; Jalapa, 
Mexico; Edmonds, Wash. Went to Soochow, China, 
September, 1914, where she teaches in Laura Hagwood 
School. 

7. Robert John, b. September 19, 1881. Graduate of 
the University of Tennessee. Profession, civil engineer. 
Worked in the state of Sonora, Mex., in Peru, for the 
Southern Railway in Mississippi, Georgia and North 
Carolina. For the past three years has been doing en- 
gineering on county roads of Monroe and Loudon coun- 
ties. He married Lillian Dee Worrell, on July 3, 1915. 
Her father is Charles B. Worrell, of Clayton, Ind. One 
child, Robert John Love, Jr., born at Madisonville, 
Tenn., on September 5, 1916. 

8. Hattie Frank, b. February 6, 1884. Graduate of 
Randolph-Macon AYoman's College, Lynchburg, Va., 
and of Woman's Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa. 
Was interne at Worchester Memorial Hospital, Wor- 
chester, Mass., and studied at Scarritt Bible and Train- 
ing School, Kansas City, Mo. Went to Soochow, China, 
in September, 1913, as medical missionary. She is dean 
of the medical school at Soochow, and practises in Mary 
Black Hospital. 



James Avery Reagan, third child of J. H. and Mira 
Reagan, was born at the old Reagan homestead, at which 
Callahan now (1914) lives, on January 7, 1846. Went 
to school to Prof. Aldehoff on Lookout Mountain in 1861 
and 1862. In August 1863 he enlisted as a private in 
Co. B (Captain Maston), 16th battalion Confederate 



312 HISTOfiY OF SWEETWATER VAULEY 

cavalry, Lieutenant Jno. R. Neal, commander, and 
served continuously and principally in Tennessee, also 
in Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina and Georgia, un- 
til the surrender at Washington, Ga., in 1865. He was 
fortunate enough to be paid there before the surrender 
$28.25 dollars in silver out of the Confederate treasury. 
From 1865-7 he was a student at Dinwiddie's School at 
Greenwood, Va. He was a student at the University 
of Virginia four vears 1867-71. Took there the degrees 
C. E., M. E. andB. S. 

Worked under Major Ruhl in the location of the Cin- 
cinnati Southern Railway. 

Was resident engineer in construction on the section 
near Robbins, Tenn., including the tunnel. 

Worked for the Union Pacific in Wyoming one or two 
years. 

Was the engineer in charge of location and superin- 
tendent of construction northern end of the Mexican 
National Railroad for several years. He was superin- 
tendent of the Lenoir Manufacturing Co., Lenoir's 
Tenn., after the death of W. A. Lenoir until the sale of 
the property to Brice, Sanford and others. 

He was married to Miss Elizabeth Buchanan, of 
Abingdon, Va., on June 25, 1889, They came to Rea- 
gan's Station in the fall of 1891, where he owned a large 
farm. Miss Elizabeth Buchanan was born July 12, 
1867. He was a member of the McMinn County Court 
for fourteen years, and was chairman of that body four 
terms. Was chairman of the Road Commission of that 
county for several years. He was engineer of road lo- 
cation and construction, for Loudon County 1911-1915, 
inclusive. 

Mrs. J. A. Reagan was a daughter of Prof. John L. 
Buchanan and a granddaughter of president E. E. Wiley 
of Emory and Henry College, Virginia. Prof. Buch- 
anan has been teacher of languages at Emory and Henry 
and Vanderbilt University; president at Agricultural 
and Mechanical College, Blacksburg, Va., and president 
of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Mrs. Rea- 
gan, coming from intellectual ancestry on both sides, 
preserves the reputation of her people for accomplish- 
ments and popularity. She has been quite in demand as a 
speaker on selected subjects at farmers conventions and 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 313 

meetings. She has been a demonstrator on certain lines 
of home improvement work. She and her neighbor, Mrs. 
C. O. Browder, have acquired almost a national reputa- 
tion as original dialogue and dialect entertainers. 

The children of J. A. and E, B. Reagan are : Frank, 
b. May 31, 1890; Julia, b. Julv 25, 1892; Margaret, b. 
October 24, 1894; d. April 11, 1896; Elizabeth Avery, b. 
March 13, 1897 ; Myra, b. November 27, 1898, and James 
Avery, b. September 24, 1907. 

4. John Martin, fourth child of J. H. and Mira Rea- 
gan, b. February 20, 1848 ; d. July 17, 1870. He was the 
second person and the first adult buried at the old Sweet- 
water cemetery. He attended school at the University 
of Virginia, for three years, in the academic depart- 
ment. He was pursuing a law course at Lebanon, Tenn., 
when disease overtook him. I have heard that tuber- 
culosis, which was fatal to him, was brought on in 
this way: one very cold night there was a fire in Le- 
sbanon and he became overheated in his efforts to help 
I)ut it out. By accident a bucket of water was poured 
upon him. This brought on sickness which termnnated 
in tuberculosis. This soon resulted fatally. He died 
at the old Reagan residence. He was a fine student. He 
was courteous, handsome, unselfish and manly, and 
.therefore was immensely popular. There never was a 
young man passed away in Sweetwater Valley whose 
death was more regretted by his neighbors and school- 
mates. 

Frank Reagan, the fifth child of J. H. and ]\lira Rea- 
gan, b. July 15, 1851 ; d. November 30, 1862. 



Richard Francis Scruggs 

Was born at Warrensburg, Tenn., February 1, 1834. 
He died of pneumonia at his residence in Sweetwater 
on December 28, 1903. 

He was the son of Rev. John Scruggs and Theresa 
Newell Carter Scruggs, They were the parents of four- 
teen children, of whom R. F. was the th. Elder Jno. 

S. was the second son of Richard and Eliza McMahon 
Scruggs. He was born in Grayson County, Va., March 
14, 1797. He was a graduate of Tusculum College in 



314 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Greene Countv which was founded by Samuel Doakin 
1794. 

J. and T. N. C. Scruggs were married on September 
7, 1824. She was the third daughter of Francis Jack- 
son and Esther Crockett Carter and was a first cousin 
of the celebrated Davy Crockett. She was born near 
Newport in Cocke County, October 8, 1806. F. J. C. and 
E. C. were miarried on February 16, 17 — . F. J. C. was 
the son of John Carter, one of the first settlers of Haw- 
kins County. He established a store which was con- 
ducted under the firm name of Carter and Parker. They 
were robbed by a band of Cherokee Indians. When the 
Henderson treaty was made with the Cherokees C, and 
P. demanded compensation. The lands of Carter's Val- 
ley from Cloud Creek to Chimney Top Mountain were 
granted them, on the payment of a small sum of money. 
This was advanced by Robert Lucas, who thus became 
a partner of Carter and Parker. This firm leased their 
lands to settlers much after the manner of the patrons 
in the early history of New York. 

In 1771 J. C. settled one-half mile north of Elizabeth- 
ton, Tenn. He was a member of two constitutional con- 
ventions of North Carolina. His son, Landon Carter, 
was prominent in the Tennessee Constitutional Conven- 
tion of 1796. His grandson was the chairman of the 
Constitutional Convention of 1834. His great grandson, 
also named Wm. Bates Carter was an active participant 
of the Constitutional Convention of 1870. All these 
men represented the same constituency and the last 
named Wm. Bates Carter was a Democrat chosen in a 
strong Republican district. James Robertson, Landon 
Carter and others laid the foundation of the Watauga 
settlement which was first mainly in Carter Countv. 

After the death of F. J. C. in 1857, his wife E. C. C, 
went tp Monroe County to reside with her daughter, 
Theresa N. Scruggs, whose husband John S. had pur- 
chased a large body of land on Chestua Creek in Monroe 
County and had moved there in 1833. She died July 
9, 1870, and was buried in the churchyard of the church 
house erected on the farm of J. S. Here lie also J. S., 
who died November 11, 1867, his wife T. N. S., d. Novem- 
ber 9, 1888, and also seven of his children and many of 
his grandchildren. J. S. was a preacher, farmer, stock- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 315 

raiser and slave owner. For many years he was pastor 
of the Chestua, Mt. Harmony and Madisonville Bap- 
tist churches. He made no charge for his services. 

R. F. Scruggs, after completing his academical educa- 
tion at Mossy Creek, now Carson and Newman College, 
became a physician. He obtained his medical diploma 
from Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, Pa. 
He commenced the practice of medicine in Sweetwater 
in the year 1855. He occupied the office made vacant 
by the death of Dr. Parker, who was the first physician 
coming to Sweetwater. On the 14th of February, 1860, 
he married Elizabeth Ramsey Heiskell. He erected the 
residence on Oak Street now occupied by Mrs. Scruggs. 

He built up a very large practice for a young phy- 
sician, previous to the Civil War. 

Soon after the war ended he became a partner with 
his brother-in-law, N. P. Hight, in the mercantile and 
produce business. N. P. Hight was the husband of Ad- 
die Heiskell. 

Tliis firm also acquired numerous holdings and lots 
in the town of Sweetwater. They erected the brick 
buildings at the corner of Monroe and Depot streets 
and the brick hotel opposite, now the Hotel Hyatt, and 
various houses for rent in different parts of the town. 

Dr. Scruggs was an extensive druggist as well as phy- 
sician and sold drugs in the store now occupied by the 
Sweetwater Pharmacy. 

He was most of the time during his business career 
treasurer of the Sweetwater Masonic Lodge No. 292, 
from the obtainment of its charter till his death. 

He was also administrator of several large estates 
and was noted for his good judgment in business and 
the strict honesty and accuracy of his accounts. 

Notwithstanding the multiplicity of his business re- 
lations, when not necessarily occupied he was a genial 
and interesting companion and conversationalist. His 
information w^as accurate and varied and was by no 
means confined to his profession. He found time in 
some way to read many books, managed to get at and 
understand the main points in them. Anything that 
touched humanity even outside of his own profession, 
met with his intelligent and considerate attention. He 
was consulted by more people about more different sub- 



316 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VATJ.EY 

jects than any man in town and his advice was rarely 
disregarded. 

His knowledge of locations and people in this section 
and their history was little less than phenomenal. 

The children of R. F. and E. R. Scruggs were: 

One. Martha, b. October 21, 1861 ; d. in infancy. 

Tw^o. Frank Heiskell, b. September 5, 1862; d. July 
8, 1895. 

Three. John Frederick, b. May 6, 1865. 

Four. Daniel Pope, b. June 19, 1867. 

Five. Arthur Bruce, b. September 24, 1869. 

Six. Susan Newman, b. September 13, 1871 ; d. Novem- 
ber 6, 1890. 

Seven. Joseph. 

Eight. Katherine, b. August 27, 1876. 

Nine. Annie Nelson, b. January 2, 1878. 

Ten. Richard Abijah, b. March 10, 1884. 

Five. Arthur Bruce, the fourth son of R. F. and 
married to Annie C, daughter of William and Margaret 
Edwards Lowry. He was a bookseller and stationer in 
Sweetwater. He was also editor and proprietor of the 
Sweetwater News, which began its publication in the 
year 1886. In 1891 he bought of W. B. Lenoir the Mon- 
roe Democrat and published his paper under the name 
of The Democrat-News until his death in the year 1895. 

The children of Frank and Margaret Scruggs were : 

Margaret, b. May, 1890; Elizabeth, b. January 25, 
1893 ; Frank H., b. December 3, 1894. 

Three. John Frederick, the second son of R. F. and 
R. R. S., was married to Maggie May Williams, daugh- 
ter of J. B. and M. T. Williams on June 3, 1891. Their 
r^hildren are : John Henry, b. January 25, 1893 ; Rich- 
ard F., b. June 11, 1895 ; Wm. Thomas, b. September 28, 
1903. 

Four. Daniel Pope, third son of R. F. and E. R. S. was 
married to Eva Dulaney Rogers on November 13, 1887. 
She was born at Blountville, Tenn., July 7, 1867. He is 
the carrier on rural route No. 2. Tlieir children are: 

1. Edgar Browne, b. August 25, 1888 ; d. 

2. Richard Francis, b. February 7, 1890 ; d. 

3. Ellen Marie, b. November 1,* 1891. 

4. Louis Eugene, b. January 12, 1894. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALIjEY 317 

5. Lela, b. August 27, 1895 ; d. 



6. Bertha Barrow, b. February 19, 1897. 

7. Hugh Rogers, b. April 15, 1899 ; d. 



8 and 9. Robert Maynard, James Jefferson, b. August 

2, 1901; d. 

Five. Arthur Bruce, the fourth son of of R. F. and 

E. R. S. married Belle, daughter of David and Laurena 
Heabler, on November 25, 1890. She was born in West 
Lodi, 0., on April 10, 1871. His business is that of 
stock trader and joint administrator with his brother, J. 

F. S., in his father's estate. The children of A. B. and 
B. Scruggs are : Edith, b. February 6, 1893 ; Joe Heab- 
ler, b. February 24, 1895 ; Mabel, b." November 19, 1896 ; 
d. November 29, 1900; Earnest Carleton, b. Januarv 5, 
1901; David Richard, b. March 29, 1906. 

Eight. Katherine was born August 27, 1876. She mar- 
ried Henry Hardey, of Tulsa, Ind. Ter., on August 27, 
1902. He was born in Knob Noster, Mo., July 17, 1878. 
Went to Tulsa, Ind. Ter. in 1895. Clerked in a store 
there seven years. Met there Katherine Scruggs whom 
he married. They moved to Rocky Ford, Col., in Au- 
gust, 1904, where they now reside. He is a merchant. 
Their children are: Gordon Stakelv, born August 12, 
1903 ; Henry Francis, born September 13, 1906. 

Nine. Annie Nelson Scruggs was born January 2, 
1888. She married Ross Owen, son of J. F. Owen. He 
was born February 3, 1869. He is an R. F. D. mail car- 
rier from Erie, Tenn. 

James J. Sheldon. 

I have several times spoken of the cosmopolitan pop- 
ulation of Sweetwater. Of course to make a town where 
there is no town, the people have to come from some- 
where. But in a mere commercial town like Sweetwater 
was in the beginning, neither a manufacturing or a min- 
ing town, depending wholly for its support on the agri- 
cultural products around, the population was more 
varied than usual. 

In the early settlement of the place, there came from 
New York, Mr. and Mrs. James J. Sheldon, Miss Emily 
Palmer, Mr. H. G. Cooke, Mrs. Helen M. Cooke, Miss 



318 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAIJ:.EY 

Bland E. Smith, and from Massachusetts Mr. George 
G. Stillman. 

They soon became identified with our people and 
showed a wonderful adaptability. They had a much 
greater influence upon our community endeavoring to 
be one of us, than if they had made themselves con- 
spicuous in criticising our institutions or customs. 

First of these to come here were Mr. and Mrs. James 
J. Sheldon. He was born in Dutchess County, New 
York, July 4, 1829. He married Miss Mary E. Palmer 
in 1855. She was born August 24, 1834, in Columbia 
County, New York. They came to Sweetwater soon 
after their marriage, probably for the reason that they 
were related to Mr. Spencer of Fork Creek. 

They taught school in 1856, in the old school house 
near the bend of the creek called the Fine School-house. 
He was a successful teacher and a versatile man. He 
was a fine scribe, as the expression went in those days, 
which was considered of prime importance. Also be- 
ing a good musician and fond of music, he taught the 
school children to sing together various simple songs. 
Up to the time of his coming to this country the note 
books used in the singing in the churches were printed 
in what is called the square note system, each note of 
the tonic scale was of a different shape, which made it 
somewhat easier for beginners to learn simple music. 

He introduced and taught what was called in contra- 
distinction to the other, the round note system, which 
had before been used for instruments and the pitch de- 
pended wholly upon the position of the note. 

*' Mason's Harp and Carmina Sacra" were two of 
the books used by him and taught in the neighborhood. 
All the farm houses around were glad to have the young 
and sometimes the old people too, to meet and take part 
in these singings. 

The song book published at Madisonville, name not 
now remembered, square note system, was soon discard- 
ed. After teaching several years, he discontinued on 
account of his health. He was employed in several 
stores in Sweetwater, mostly as an accountant and book- 
keeper. The credit system was in vogue in those days 
and needed a careful accountant. 

He was a member of the Baptist church and was clerk 



HISTOBY OF SWEETWATER VAX.LEY 319 

at the time of his death. In the year 1857 he purchased 
a lot from I. T. Lenoir on Oak Street. He died in Sweet- 
water, at his residence January 18, 1868. He was buried 
at the Daniel Heiskell Cemetery. 

Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon had one daughter, who was 
born January 20, '1856, died December 28, 1868. 

CHRisTiAisr Shell. 

He was a contemporary of General James H. Reagan 
and lived on an adjoining place. From the information 
at hand his children were as follows : 

1. Emmaline, m. Phillips ; second to 

Floyd. 

2. Paris Montgomery. Lives in Knox Countv, Tenn. 

3. J. Will. 

4. Sarah Landonia. Married James Gibbs, U. S. mail 
agent on the Southern Railway. Their children, two 
sons, John and Ludlow, and a daughter, Tola, who mar- 
ried Houk, son of ]j. C. Houk. 

5. Ella. Unmarried. 

6. James R. Married Mary J. Thomas, February 13, 
1879. Died about 1913. They were the parents of twelve 
children. He was a promoter. 

7. Lou Emma. Married Captain John Anderson, of 
Pond Creek Valley. 

8. Victoria. Married Owen Morris, son of H. H. Mor- 
ris. 

George G, Stillman. 

It is a tradition in the Stillman family that in the 
early settlement of Massachusetts, there came three 
brothers. It was supposed they fled from England on ac- 
count of political or religious persecutions, and prob- 
ably for fear of other persecution even after coming to 
this country they failed or refused to tell their name or 
history. Therefore they were nick-named Stillman or 
(Stillmen). This name clung to them so that it was 
adopted as a surname. One of them was William C. 
who was the father of George G. about whom this sketch 
is written. 



320 HISTORY OF SWEET WATEB VALLEY 

George G. was born February 9, 1828, in North Egre- 
mont, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. He married 
Cynthia B. Bobbins April 8, 1852, at Thomas Stilhnan's. 
Ella, their daughter was born March 9, 1853. Mrs. 
Stillman died soon afterward. Ella, is now a teacher 
in Massachusetts. Mr. Stillman came South shortly be- 
fore the Civil War, he visited Mr. James J. Sheldon. He 
decided to remain here. He was an accurate and natural 
bookkeeper. His great knowledge of Masonry com- 
mended him to the brethren. 

In 1861 he was a member of Prof. Wagstaff's Sweet- 
water Brass Band. The other members were A. M. 
Dobbins, Wiley Patton, Carter and Crockett Rowan, 

Monfi, William McClung, S. McKinney Walker 

and W. C. Browning. It was considered a fine band 
for that day and time. 

Some time in May in the year 1861 this band was em- 
ployed to go to Hawkins County, Tenn., to a secession 
rally. Mr. Stillman was with them. The band took sup- 
per with Mr. A. Buckner, a brother-in-law of Mrs. Still- 
man, who was then Miss Julia Craft. They became ac- 
quainted. They were married about three months after- 
wards, on the 27th of August, 1861. 

Mr. Stillman was a conscientious Baptist. He was 
thoroughly posted in many degrees of Masonry, includ- 
ing the Knight Templars. True to his name he was a 
very prudent man in his conduct during the Civil War 
and though a Union man, he endeavored to protect the 
Southern sympathizers, after the Federal occupation 
during the Civil War, He purchased the property where 
Mrs. Stillman now lives, across the street from the 
telephone building. He resided there until the time of 
his death, which occurred on July 29, 1872. 

I take the following from the preamble and resolu- 
tions adopted at the August meeting of Lodge 292, F. 
and A. M. : 

****** ''Some years previous to the war our 
brother G. G. Stillman came among us a stranger. He 
did not long remain so. His native worth and intelli- 
gence were soon kno^vn and appreciated and caused him 
to be recognized as a friend and a brother. He was a 
pleasant and agreeable companion, kind and affection- 
ate in his family, a true friend, a good and useful cit- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 321 

izen, a devoted Christian. He was also a bright and hon- 
ored member of the fraternity. " ****** 

These and many other things were truly said by the 
committee, not in a perfunctory way but because they 
believed them. The committee w^ere W. B. Lenoir,- W. 
W. Morrison, and A. M. Dobbins. 

Julia H. Craft Stillman was born at the old homestead 
in Sullivan County on October 7, 1840. Her father was 

Her grandparents on her father's side were 

Thomas. A. Craft and Mary Aeuff Craft. Her great 
grandfather was Timothy Acuff. He was a Revolu- 
tionary soldier and acquired land from the United 
States government on account of his services. He was 
a slave owner. 

The mother of Mrs. Stillman was formerly Mary A. 
Wilson. She was a sister of Anna Wilson, who was the 
mother of the late John M. Jones, Sweetwater, Tenn. 
Mrs. Stillman is a noted Sunday-school and church 
worker, w^itli the vigor of her intellect (now 1915) un- 
dimmed. 

George Row^an Stillman (named for Samuel J. Rowan) 

son of G. G. and Julia Stillman was born May 17, 1863. 

'He is a trusted employee of the First National Bank 

of Chattanooga, with which he has been for the past 

twenty-nine 3^ears. 

He married Cora Stallis of Missouri, in October, 1885. 

Rev. Robert Snead 

Was born in Rockbridge County, Va., April 20, 1801. 
He came to Sweetwater Valley in 1824. He married 
Frances Henley soon afterwards. His first recorded 
purchase of land was from William Dillard in May, 
1831. The deed is for eighty acres, east half of the 
northeast quarter, section 36, tow^nship 2, range 1, east. 
He afterwards acquired other tracts and at the time 
of his death owned a very large farm on the public road 
between Philadelphia and Sweetwater. This farm was 
divided and sold in 1915. Mr. Snead was one of the most 
versatile men in this section of the country; whatever 
he was called on to do he always rose to the occasion. 
He was a brick-mason, farmer, minister of the Gospel, 



322 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

railroad director and capitalist. He was chairman of 
the committee appointed for the construction of the 
Cleveland Baptist Church, and his knowledge of build- 
ing is shown hj that church edifice. In the old Sweet- 
water cemetery in the grave of John Reagan is a brick 
vault which was erected by Mr. Snead, purely as a mat 
ter of accommodation and because no one else under- 
stood how to do it. This is the only one constructed in 
that cemetery. During the time he was minister he of- 
ficiated at the marriage ceremony of more people than 
any other minister in the valley or county. He was a 
fine presiding officer and was moderator during the 
active term of his life of a great many associations. 
Whenever he was in a Baptist association he was near- 
ly always called upon to perform that duty. In his ser- 
mons he was more logical than eloquent ; he appealed to 
the reason more than the emotions. He and his wife 
Frances joined the Baptist church of Sweetwater, some- 
times called the Cleveland church, on the fourth Sat- 
urday in July, 1826. He was clerk of that church dur- 
ing the years 1831 and 1832. He was ordained by that 
church to preach the Gospel on the fourth Saturday of 
February, 1833. He was considered an authority, in the 
Sweetwater association on Baptist doctrine and par- 
liamentary ruling. He probably had more influence with 
the churches of Sweetwater Association than any one 
belonging to it. He, like Elder Eli Cleveland, never 
charged or accepted anything for his pastoral services; 
not on account of any conscientious scruples in the mat- 
ter, but because he thought they could use the money 
more judiciously in other ways. 

He was one of the best and most successful farmers 
in our valley. In a field across the railway from his 
residence in 1857, he raised more than forty-one bush- 
els of wheat to the acre ; this he did without the use of 
any fertilizer except such as came from his own barn- 
yard. 

He served two terms as director of the East Tennes- 
see and Greorgia Railroad. 

He moved to Knoxville from his farm, in November, 
1874, where he resided until his death on March 29, 
1878, and was buried in old Sweetwater cemetery. 

During the Civil War he was considered a Union man 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 323 

but was opposed to any discussion of it, or prayers for 
either combatant in church meetings, and rarely could 
he be induced to express an opinion about the war in 
private conversation. This is l3y no means strange, as 
he had two sons in the Confederate army and one in the 
Federal. 

The children of his first marriage were as follows : 

1. Martha A., born August 22, 1825. Died 1906. 

2. William E., born December 11, 1827. Died August 
28 1875 

'3. Elizabeth, born Died July, 1875. 

4. Virginia A., born July 17, 1834. Died 



5. Mary L., born February 23, 1839. Died 

6. Lilburn, born March 22, 1841. Died 

7. Thomas E., born October 26, 1843. 

Martha A., married Jacob Kimbrough in 1846 and 
died at Mesquite, Texas. J. C. Kimbrough was a tal- 
ented member of the Baptist church; he was a farmer 
and lived near Madisonville, Tenn. Their children were 
Robert, Jacob and Spencer, the two latter dying in ear- 
ly manhood. Robert moved to Mesquite, Texas, when 
a young man. He died in 1906 at about 45 years of age. 
In business he was quite successful; was a merchant, a 
president of two banks and had large land holdings. 

William E. Snead was married to Nancy Prater John- 
ston, daughter of Josiah K. Johnston. He joined the 
Confederate army soon after commencement of hostil- 
ities. He held the rank of major in the 43rd Tennessee 
volunteer infantry, serving through the entire war 
period. After the war he was accountant and salesman 
for the firm of Hight and Scruggs until incapacitated by 
disease. He had one son, William Prater Snead, who 
was born December 31, 1852, and resides on Fork Creek. 

3. Elizabeth married Robert Cleveland on June 4, 
1840. For her family history (see Presley Cleveland). 

Virginia A. married Richard Jarnagin, September 29, 
1852. They settled at Clinton, Anderson County, Tenn. 
She died there and was buried at that place. Their 
children were: 

(1) Minnie, married Coward. 

(2) Richard. 

(3) W. J., who lives at Coal Creek, Tenn. 

4. Mary L., married A. S. Worrell, December 14, 1859, 



324 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

who was a Baptist minister. She died in Minneapolis, 
Minn., 1903. Their children were : 

(1) Martha. 

(2) Marv. 

(3) Albert. 

Two daughters are married : married names and post- 
offices not known. 

6. Lilburn, enlisted in the Federal army at the age of 
20. He was captain of Co. , regiment, Ten- 
nessee volunteer infantry. He was called the ''boy cap- 
tain." He died at Nashville, Tenn., of wounds received 
at the Battle of Shiloh. 

7. Thomas E. served in the Confederate armv from 
August, 1861 to April 23, 1863, in Co. G, — regi- 
ment Tennessee volunteers. 

He married Anne E. Patton, daughter of Francis A. 
and Amanda A. Patton on August 27, 1863. His wife, 
Anne Patton was born January 16, 1844, in Monroe 
County, Tenn. For fifteen years or more after he mar- 
ried Thomas E. Snead was a farmer in Monroe County, 
going west after that and living in Texas, Indian Ter- 
ritory, Missouri and Washington. In the year 1898 he 
settled at Hinsdale, Mont., which is now (1915) his pres- 
ent residence. Their children are : 

Robert Snead, born December 20, 1864. 

Fannie A. McLean, born 16, 1867. Post-office, 

Kerman, Cal. 

Dick T., born December 31, 1869. Post-office, Hins- 
dale, Mont. 

Minta L. Wilson, born August 10, 1874. 

Charles H., born Julv 19, 1871. 

Addie E., born Aprir20, 1877. 

Thomas, born September 6, 1879. Post-office, Hins- 
dale, Mont. 

Fannie A., married Edwin McLean in 1894. 

Dick T., married Annie M. Riley in 1904. 

Minta L., married Frank Wilson in 1891. Post-office, 
Placerville, Cal. 

Charles H., married Ida Mooney in 1892. Post-office, 
Colfax, Wash. 

Addie E., married Edward Kelso in 1896. Post-office, 
Albion, Wash. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 325 

Thomas B., married Nettie Ballke in 1906. Post-office, 
Hinsdale, Mont. 



Robert Snead's second wife was Samantha Ann Mc- 
Reynolds, to whom he was married on the 17th of Sep- 
tember, 1852. She was born in Tazewell, Tenn., April 
28, 1815, She died at Sweetwater, Tenn., January 12, 
1897, and was buried in the old Sweetwater cemetery. 
They resided at the Snead farm, near Sweetwater, after 
their marriage, until they moved to Knoxville, in 1874. 
They had one daughter, Laura F., born December 20, 
1857, who married Sam Epps Young, a Knoxville law- 
3^er, September 5, 1878. Tlieir children are: 

1. Stella, who married Henry T. Boyd of Sweetwater, 
on June 10, 1903. Their children are Sam Young Boyd 
and Frances Boyd. 

2. Robert Snead, born He was educated 

at the University of Tennessee and afterwards studied 
law under his father. Colonel S. E. Young. He located 

in Knoxville in He married Lillian, daughter 

of Hon. H. B. Lindsay, on October 14, 1908. Their chil- 
dren are: Elizabeth, Robert and Lindsay. 

3. Frances.. 

4. Anna. 

5. Sam Epps. Lawyer in Knoxville, Tenn. 



Colonel Sam Epps Young 

Was born near Clinton, Tenn., the son of the Rev. J. 
H. Young, a Methodist minister, and a nephew of Judge 
D. K. Young, an eminent lawyer and jurist, of Ander- 
son County. He attended the* University of Tennessee, 
and graduated there in 1878. He was captain of Co. B 
in the military department there the year of his gradua- 
tion. He studied law under at ; He 

was admitted to the bar in and began the prac- 
tice of law at Knoxville. He came to Sweetwater in 
1880 and opened an office here. However, in the earlier 
part of his career, a large part of his practice was in 
the mountain counties of Morgan, Scott, Fentress and 
Cumberland. There he made quite a reputation as a 



326 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

jury lawyer, which, before a great while extended to 
the counties around where he resided. He was not only 
a successful jury lawyer but I heard Judge T. M. Mc- 
Connell say he was one of the best chancery lawyers that 
practised before his bar. He cultivated most successful- 
ly a large farm of more than 1,000 acres. Notwithstand- 
ing his extensive law practice in other counties he found 
time to operate it. It was while on his way to his farm 
June 22, 1914, that he collapsed, while in his buggy, 
from heart failure. 

While a man of a most social disposition, he never 
sought office though he was often spoken of as a can- 
didate for various positions. Though a strong party 
man he rarely attended political meetings or conven- 
tions. He was a member of the M. E. Church, South, 
and when not absent in the practice of his profession, 
nearly always attended Sunday-school and often made 
interesting talks, which he had the ability to do with- 
out extensive preparation. Some of the best speeches 
I have heard him mate were when he was called upon 
unexpectedly to him. He was a member of the Sweet- 
water Masonic Lodge. He was always prominent in 
whatever body or assembly he attended. 

General John Crawford Vaughn, 

In the estimation of most persons who know his his- 
tory, it might well be said that he was Sweetwater's 
most distinguished citizen. His varied career, his chiv- 
alry, commanding presence, and magnetic personality 
would make him the hero of the novelist as well as a 
favorite character of the historian. 

A painting of him hangs in the H. M. Cooke Memorial 
Library. 

He was in turn captain in the Mexican War, gold 
seeker in California, high sheriff of Monroe County. 
Hotel man, brigadier general in the C. S. A., broker in 
New York, speaker of the Senate in Tennessee and ex- 
tensive planter in Georgia. 

He was the son of James Vaughn and Mary Jane 
Crawford Vaughn. He was born at Madisonville, Feb- 
ruary 24, 1824. He married Nancy Ann Boyd in 1847 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 327 

at Mt. Vernon, Tenn. She died in New York City, No- 
vember 13, 1869. 

Mr. Ross Young-, who was a soldier in the Mexican 
War, also a Confederate soldier in the Civil War, says 
that Jno. C. Vaughn was captain of Co. C, 5th Reg. of 
Tennessee volunteer infantry in the Mexican War, com- 
manded by Colonel McClellan. Ross Young was a pri- 
vate in Co. F and volunteered from Maryville, Blount 
County, Tenn. 

In a letter written from San Juan, dated February 
12, 1848, to E. E. Griffith, Esq., and published in the 
Madisonville Democrat of April 15, 1909, we make the 
following extracts : 

"I will write you a letter this morning. I got up this morning with 
the sun, had my breakfast and put on a light colored shirt. Then I 
read several chapters in the Bible, which I do nearly every day. Then 
I seated myself by the side of a long dining table which Santa Anna 
used before the Yankees entered Vera Cruz and drove him from this 
place. Lieut. Brown and I use it to write on during the day and at 
night we use it to sleep on, and I think it a great thing in the sleep- 
ing line. 

* * * * s^Q are all far from home and all that is dear to us, 
but there is not the same number of men in Mexico that enjoy them- 
selves better than the gallant company from Monroe does. We all 
love each other. We can think of home but that is all. We live in 
hope of seeing you all again, but we may not. There may not be 
one-fourth of us live to see Tennessee again. To look around at 
Companies that came here one hundred strong and now number only 
forty and none killed in battle, and some that number only twenty- 
five when, six months ago, they numbered one hundred twenty-five; 
this is enough to make us all doubtful of our lives. We wish the 
prayers of our friends at home." (I have not the date at hand to 
know when the company returned to Monroe County.) 

Being of an adventurous disposition in 1850 he went to 
California by the New York and Panama route. A let- 
ter from J. C. Vaughn and E. C. Harris from Panama 
City June 4, 1850, which appeared in the Athens Post 
July 19, 1850, contains some very interesting data; the 
more so on account of the completion of the isthmus 
canal and the exposition celebrating the event in San 
Francisco, Cal. 

Some time since a letter appeared in The Sweetwater 
Telephone from Tyler Heiskell to his father, William 
Heiskell, recounting the dangers and expense of a trip 
across the plains to California. From what these re- 
ports say there seems to have been little choice as to 



328 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

the two routes. Greater personal danger from Indians 
by the plains route, and far greater danger from di- 
sease by the Panama route. We deem the extracts be- 
low very interesting: 

"We left Chagres, on the 24th of May in canoes for Cruces up the 
Chagres river, a distance of 80 miles. These canoes being large enough 
to accommodate from 5 to 10 passengers, owned and made by the 
natives generally for which we paid $13.00 each (finding ourselves). 
The first night at 10 o'clock P. M. we hauled up for the night where 
we found something similar to a shack of an American camping 
ground, only about one-third as large, which was covered with canvas 
In place of boards, where we found something in the way of refresh- 
ments. 

A cup of coffee for .05c, a small piece of bread for .10c. and a small 
apple pie for three dimes; and we were also accommodated with 
berths upon, the ground for two dimes; each furnishing his own 
blanket. We engaged passage to Cruces, though from the fact that 
our yawls or canoes could not navigate further than Gorgono, on ac- 
count of shallow water, we were compelled to stop at the last named 
place. We arrived at Gorgono on the 25th. of May, where we found 
about four hundred small ranches scattered about in every direction, 
inhabited by Spaniards and Natives, with one American house whose 
sign was the Panama Railroad Hotel, where a meal could be had for 
an Isthmus Dollar (eight dimes) and lodging on the floor for five 
dimes, finding your own blankets; we tarried here for one night only. 
On the 27th, we hired Natives to pack our baggage across for $8.00 
per hundred on mules and their own backs, a distance called by in- 
habitants twenty-five miles. After two days we arrived at the great 
city of Panama, situated on the coast of the Pacific on a small point 
of land which extends far out into Panama Bay, distinguished prin- 
cipally for being a great port of entrance, for being surrounded by 
a huge stone wall, for its numerous number of Catholic Cathedrals, 
whose tall spires loom up to the clouds in really majestic splendor, for 
its mixed population of Spanish and Native (Negro), for the uni- 
versal want of energy amongst its ignorant and stupid inhabitants, 
and distinguished generally for being one of the most completely worn 
out and decayed cities this side of Hindoostan. 

Though Monte and Faro banks flourish h.ere while almost every 
thing else is held in low repute except commercial operations, which 
is a source of grand speculation here, and in confirmation of this we 
will give you an instance; on our arrival here we found that tickets 
on steamers could not be haa for less thaij $400.00 in the steerage, 
and from six to nine hundred dollars in the cabin to San Francisco, 
while the same tickets were purchased in New York from two to 
four hundred dollars each, and held, offered, and sold here on specula- 
tion, at those advances, governed entirely by the number of emigrants 
here, waiting transportation to the much sought 'El Dorado.' 

Those prices are eagerly given here, while the number and names of 
the steamers now plying between this place and San Francisco are 
as follows: The California, Oregon, Panama, Tennessee, Carolina, 
Unicorn, Gold Hunter, Sarah Sands, Isthmus and Columbus, 'making 
in all ten, which leave this port universally crowded, even at those 
extravagant prices, and there are soon expected here via Cape Horn, 
to go on the same route, the steamers New Orleans, New World, 
Northerner, West Point, William G. Pease, Republic and Duncan C. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 329 

Pell, which will complete the entire number of seventeen steamships.' 
In discussing the case of going from East Tennessee to San Francisco 
without experiencing any delays which can seldom be avoided, the 
cheapest possible taking sail vessel would be $350.00 and to take 
steamer from New Orleans to San Francisco it would cost $365.00 on 
deck and in the cabin $750.00, never less, and a chance for it to be 
higher. 

Taking these statements as correct, all who are thinking of the 
perilous adventure can now make up their minds as to the amount 
they would feel safe in leaving home with, knowing at the same time 
that if it should fall short that it would be where they would be 
surrounded by the mongrel population of the whole earth. This is 
the amount, to say nothing of the expenses up the Sacramento river 
to Sacramento City, a distance of 125 miles and then some 80 miles 
by land out into the diggings. * * * * 

Without a through ticket a person stands no chance for a passage 
aboard a steamer from this port, as they are always filled to a dis- 
agreeable number by persons owning through tickets or those who 
have the funds to pay a heavy advance on second-handed tickets, and 
we have seen them sold during our stay here second-handed for from 
six to eleven hundred dollars, and while on this subject we would 
remark, that the shaving and swindling system is carried on here to 
scientific perfection, at the expense of the poor emigrants from the 
states, and the great wheel is turned, not by foreigners, but by Ameri- 
can citizens. 

This city numbers a population of about ten th.ousand, inclusive, 
within and without the walls, with at present a transient population 
of about three thousand, principally emigrants. The major portion 
of its inhabitants are Spaniards, one-third we suppose are natives, 
as black as the ace of spades, though all speak universally the Spanish 
language, which language we are in a fair way to learn 'Pocotiempo.' 

This city is surrounded by the most sublime and majestic natural 
scenery upon which the eye of curiosity ever rested, almost entirely 
surrounded by Panama Bay, completely decorated with little island 
mountains, whose beautifully green peaked tops pierce the sullen and 
heavy clouds, which almost constantly enshroud them at this season; 
while the approach by land is similarly adorned with here and there, 
small round capped summits, intervening occasionally beautiful nar- 
row and level valleys, which appear to groan under the abundance of 
the rich tropical fruits of the forest, which are to be seen and ob- 
tained at all seasons, from th,e luscious Isthmus peach through the in- 
numerable varieties of tropical fruits down to the delicious pineap- 
ple, which, in some degree, perfume the air with their rich fragrance. 

* * * * ;\v'e cannot conclude without giving a few brief state- 
ments relative to the incidents connected with our two days' travel 
across the Isthmus. From Gorgono to this place we were never 
out of sight at one time of the vast continued train of mules and 
natives packing baggage to and from this city, during which time we 
very frequently met with numbers of American ladies dressed en- 
tirely in gentlemen's attire and universally riding astride, which odd 
custom they are compelled to adopt in order to travel at all, except 
they walk, as there is no such thing here as a vehicle of any sort, 
and during our travel across and the eight days we have been here, 
amongst all the travelling we have seen but bare one side saddle. 

We arrived at this city on the 2Sth of May, where we have remained 
for some eight days, awaiting the published day for the sailing of 
the ship Cacholot, aboard of which we have engaged our passage to 
San Francisco. We have purchased our tickets for which we paid 



330 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

$150.00 each in the steerage and she positively sails tomorrow, the 
5th of this inst., which port she promises to make in thirty-five or 
forty days. 

Here we saw numerous 'East Tennesseeans, wh,o all meet like en- 
deared relatives and amongst the many we have had the pleasure of 
meeting with, and listening to a very able sermon delivered by one 
Mr. Horn, from Knoxville, who has formerly resided in Athens, E. 
Tenn.' 

In the Athens Post of Dec. 20th, 1850, we find this editorial refer- 
ence: 'we received last week the Polynesian of Sat., July 20th, printed 
at Honolulu, a town on one of the Sandwich Islands. It was sent by 
Mr. E. C. Harris, who belonged to the company that started to Cali- 
fornia from this country some time since. The ship on which they 
embarked at Panama (June 5th), put into Honolulu on account of 
stress of weather and was expected to set sail again in a few days." 

It would seem they must have been disappointed in 
reaching San Francisco at the expected time — thirty- 
five or forty days. For sailing from Panama on June 
5th, they were still at Honolulu on July 20th. If I am 
not mistaken it is about 2,800 miles from Honolulu to 
San Francisco. What time General Vaughn reached 
San Francisco and how long he remained in California 
I have not the information at hand, however think he 
did not succeed in obtaining very much gold, or was 
not among the lucky prospectors. 

In the files of the Athens Post in my possession I do 
not find any other letters from either Harris or Vaughn, 
but I lack considerably in having the papers for the year 
1850-1. In about 1854, General Vaughn built a hotel in 
Sweetwater in which was a store-house on the site now 
occupied by the Hyatt Hotel. William H. Taylor and 
Joseph Boyd, brother-in-law of General Vaughn, were 
of the first that did business in that store-house. 
I think others too at different times sold goods there. 
General Vaughn was elected sheriff in 1859. I do not 
remember whether this was his first or second term. 

When the Civil War came up he raised the first com- 
pany in Monroe County, of which he became captain, 
that with other companies formed the first regiment 
raised in Tennessee for the Southern Confederacy. He 
was elected colonel of this regiment. Although this was 
the first regiment raised in the state, it was the third 
mustered in by the Confederacy at Lynchburg, Va. 
Owing to a railroad accident between Knoxville and 
L^mchburg they were delayed and two other regiments, 
I think Turney's and Hatton's, got ahead of them. Thus 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 331 

Vaughn's regiment instead of being the first as it should 
have been became the 3rd Tennessee Regiment, Vobm- 
teer Infantr3^ 

Colonel Vaughn's command captured the first pieces 
of artillery taken in the war at the bridge in Romney, 
Va., June, 1861. He was engaged in numerous battles 
in many parts of the Confederacy during the Civil War 
from the first Battle of Manassas until the end in 1865 
when he w^as promoted to the rank of brigadier general. 

General Vaughn was in command of the cavalry es- 
corting President Davis to Washington, Ga., and was 
the last organized body of cavalry of the C. S. A. to 
surrender. 

A part of the treasure belonging to the Confederacy 
was divided among his soldiers. Daughters of the Con- 
federacy here at Sweetwater have considerable of Gen- 
eral Vaughn's war history. It is very voluminous. I 
give the following from a letter by Mrs. Lua Nixon, now 
deceased of 733 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Ga., dated 
July 9, 1913. Mrs. General Jno. C. Vaughn, her 
father-in-law% James C. Vaughn and three daughters, 
Margaret, Lua and Mary, were arrested (at their home 
in Sweetwater) June, 1864, by order of General Sher- 
man. The original order is in possession of Mrs. Nixon 
and reads as follows : 

"Headquarters Military division of the Mississippi, Nashville, Tenn., 
July 27th, 1854. Special order No. 91. It appearing to the satisfac- 
tion of the Maj. Gen. commanding that the following named persons 
are implicated in corresponding with the enemy beyond our lines, it 
is hereby ordered that they be sent to Jeffersonville, Ind., there to 
remain in the care of the Provost Marshal under Military surveillance 
during the continuance of the present war, the quarter master de- 
partment will furnish the transportation necessary to carry out this 
order. By order of Maj. Gen. Sherman. M. Rochester, assistant ad- 
jutant general." 

The same day the family of Judge T. Nixon VanDyke 
were arrested and joined General Vaughn's family. 
They were taken to Nashville in a box car, the prison- 
ers Mrs. Vaughn and Mrs. VanDyke, and the seven chil- 
dren were confined in one small room for days await- 
ing their orders. During the time of their confinement 
every effort was being put forth by influential Union 
friends and friends in the North, through Governor 



332 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Johnson (then military governor) of Tennessee and 
President Lincoln to have the order changed. Judge 
VanDyke's family were allowed to give bond and they 
were released but the original order was carried out 
as to Genei^al Vaughn's family. Several months later 
General Vaughn sent scouts to arrest the family of a 
Federal general in Kentucky and held them as hostages 
till arrangements were made for exchange. Every- 
where the family were held as prisoners in Louisville, 
Cincinnati and Baltimore, they found friends and s^nn- 
pathizers with the Confederacy who gave them aid and 
alleviated the condition of their confinement. Later the 
family were confined in Fortress Monroe awaiting ex- 
change. President Davis made every arrangement that 
General Vaughn's family be received and cared for by 
the exchange commissioners Major Ould, and Captain 
Hatch, and also in Richmond mitil joined by General 
Vaughn. 

After the Civil War General Vaughn, following the 
example of the Inmans and R. T. Wilson, formerly of 
Loudon, and many other East Tennesseans moved to 
New York City to go into business. Some of the East 
Tennesseans who went there were eminently success- 
ful, and became very wealthy ; but General Vaughn was 
more fitted for w^ork in the open with the musket and the 
sword, than to contend for commercial supremacy 
among the trained business men of Wall Street ; he knew 
nothing of their methods. 

Soon after the death of his wife in 1869, he returned 
to Tennessee. Being very popular he engaged in pol- 
itics. He received the democratic nomination for sen- 
ator in 1871 from the Seventh Senatorial District : com- 
prising the counties of Meigs, McMinn, Polk and Mon- 
roe. He was elected by a large majority and became 
senator from this district in the Thirty-seventh General 
Assembly of the state, which began its session in Nash- 
ville, October 1, 1871. Although he had never been leg- 
islator before he was elected speaker of the senate. He 
probably could have gotten almost any office he sought 
in the political field but about this time he was married 
a second time to Miss Florence Jones, of Thomasville, 
Ga., and settled there. He preferred the quiet of a plan- 
ter's life to the scramble for office. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALiLEY 333 

As a military commander his bravery was unques- 
tioned, lie was almost too fearless. He preferred to lead 
rather than direct. He considered it was his business 
to fight the enemy wherever he met them. General For- 
rest 's motto was "To get there first with the most men.'* 
General Vaughn did not seem to regard numbers; he 
rarely waited to see whether he or the enemy were the 
more numerous and the way he found out whether he 
could whip them or not was to fight. 

In the various offices and positions he held he was' 
actuated by a high sense of duty and love of his country 
and his fellowman. Of him it might be said slightly 
changing the phraseology of a Confederate comman- 
der, ''he seen his duty and he done his damndest." 
He, himself, was modest and would have been far from 
saying anything of the kind. He was intensely reverent 
in his turn of mind as shown by his letters from Mexico 
and during the Civil War, 

He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
Church, but toward the last of his life he belonged to 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He was one of 
the few born leaders of men. He never had the slight- 
est trouble in arresting a criminal, or being obeyed by 
those under him. 

Before he returned from the Civil War many rough 
characters who wanted to make themselves conspicuous 
made their threats of what they would do if he ever came 
in their neighborhoods. After he returned, he having 
heard of these threats, seemed to take pleasure in meet- 
ing these very fellows alone, and probably unarmed. 
He was never insulted and the very ones who had threat- 
ened him -were the first ones to welcome him. They 
probably voted for him when he ran for office. 

These Jacksonian qualities of the eagle eye and daunt- 
less personality overawed them. They forgot he was 
the man they had started out to humiliate. The chil- 
dren of General and Nancy Vaughn were: 

Margaret, b. 1848. Died in 1873. Married Timothy 
Gibson, of Athens, Tenn., at Thomasville, Ga., Septem- 
ber, 1866. They then lived four 3^ears in Bainbridge, 
Ga., coming back to Athens, Tenn., in 1871. He was 
born in Gerard County, Ky., April 30, 1834. Was one 
of a familv of fifteen children, he being the seventh. 



334 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

His father, the Rev. Elias Gibson, came to Columbus, 
on the Hiwassee River in 1844. Margaret and Timothy 
Gibson had one child, Mary Lua, who was born at Bain- 
bridge, Ga., on December 5, 1867. She married the Hon. 
W. B. Miller, at Athens, Tenn., who is a noted lawyer 
of Chattanooga, residing on Lookout Mountain. They 
are the parents of four children, two living and two 
dead; the living (1916) are Burkett Miller, practising 
law^ in Chattanooga, and Vaughn Miller, studying law 
at Harvard College. 

The second daughter of General Vaughn was Lua, 
who married W. M. Nixon, formerly of Ohio. They re- 
sided in Athens, Tenn., until 1895, when they moved to 
Atlanta, Ga. He is president of the Atlanta Woolen 
Mills. Their son, Vaughn, was born September 14, 1878. 
Mrs. Nixon died December 23, 1914. 

Mary Vaughn was born March 6, 1855. She married 
Frank B. McElwee of McMinn County. He was born 
in Meigs County on March 12, 1844. He was the son 
of Thomas B. McElwee. He was a manufacturer of 
cotton yarns. He resides (1915) in California — post- 
office, Stockton. Mrs. McElwee died at Athens, Tenn., 
on July 30, 1891. Their children were : 

1. Lua, born February 16, 1878. 

2. Florence, b. March 31, 1879. Died March 5, 1903. 

3. Mattie, b. October 16, 1880; d. February 5, 1904. 

4. Marv, b. August 25, 1885. 

5. Frank, b. Ap^ril 4, 1882. 

6. Vaughn, b. October 6, 1883. He is a civil engineer 
at Los Angeles, and is unmarried. 

7. Thomas, b. June 19, 1888. Married Martha Mar- 
tinke, at Los Angeles January, 1915. 

1. Lua McElwee married Charles D. Chandler, of 
Rockford, Tenn., December 28, 1898, now (1915) a mer- 
chant at Mar>^alle. One daughter, Margaret McElwee 
Chandler, b. January 30, 1901. 

3. Mattie McElwee married John L. Anderson Jan- 
uarv, 1898. Their children are: 

Mildred M., b. March, 1899. 

Larnard, b. November, 1900. 

Thomas, b. May, 1903. 

5. Frank McElwee is in the real estate business at San 
Diego, Cal. 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 335 

4 Mary McElwee married C. P. Griggs, of Stockton, 
CaL, on October 20, 1906. He died March 6, 1913. She 
lives at Manteca, Cal. Tlieyhad one daughter, Mamie, 
b. July 12, 1907. 

General Vaughn's second wife was Florence Jones, ot 
Thomasville, Ga., whom he married in 1871. One daugh- 
ter, Mrs. E. A. Armand. Mrs. Florence Vaughn died 
at Savannah, Ga., in 1890. 

General Vaughn died on plantation near Thomasville, 
Ga., on , 187 — . 



Thomas L. Uptox. 

Three brothers, William A.. Thomas L., and Joseph 
Upton, came from Blount to Monroe County. William 
A. settled on Four Mile Branch, Dr. Joseph Upton in 
Madisonville, and Thomas L. in Sweetwater Valley. 
The latter resided in the old Sliger house wdiere I. T. 
Lenoir afterwards lived. He moved from there to what 
was afterwards know^n as the Upton place on Pond 
Creek, one mile from the Cumberland Presbyterian 
camp ground. 

On the 24th of February, 1854, he conveyed to I. T. 
Lenoir, for the consideration of $2,000, the northwest 
quarter of section 11, township 3, range 1, east, to which 
deed Jno. C. Vaughn and N. W. Haun were the subscrib- 
ing witnesses. Thomas Upton's wife w^as Anne Year- 
out. Their children were: 

1. Bettie ; 2. Thomas L. ; 3. William A., and 4. N^ncy. 

Bettie married James Blair, who was a physician in 
Sweetwater in the first beginning of the town. They 
had several children, number not known to me, but the 
oldest one was named Annie, and youuger than she were 
tw^in girls, one named Inez. About the beginning of the 
Civil War he moved to Corsicana, and then to Hender- 
son, Rusk County, Texas. 

William A. married Mrs. Ballard of Pond Creek, who 
was the daughter of Reps Jones. Some time in the 
eighties she came to Sweetwater and he went to 
Texas. For some time she was proprietress of the Up- 
ton Inn, now the Hyatt Hotel. Their children were: 
Byrd, Thomas, William and Mamie. 



336 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Nancy Upton, fourth child of Thomas L. and Anna 
Upton, married Robert, son of J. D. Jones (whom see). 

David Caldwell married Yearout. He was 

a farmer and lived on a farm adjoining Thomas Upton. 
They had one daughter, Bettie, who married Charles 
H. Jones, son of Reps Jones. Helen Graliam, whose 
mother was also a Yearout, resided with Mr. Caldwell. 
She married Charles Cannon of Sweetwater ^wliom see). 

Hon. Joseph Walker. 

He was the third son and sixth child of Joseph and 
Mary Howard Walker, who were married in 1797. Jos- 
eph Walker, Sr., moved to this county perhaps in the late 
twenties and settled in Fork Creek Valley, the old home- 
stead being on the west side of the creek in the meadow 
between what is now the Vineyard farm and the old 
Kile place. Here they reared a large family, one of their 
children dying in childhood. The children were: 

1. Elizabeth Caroline, m. Nicholas Vineyard. 

2. Caswell Lincoln, moved to Georgia. 

3. David Perkins, was a farmer living in Fork Creek 
Valley. 

4. Nancy, m. James Harvey Johnston. They lived 
on a farm, now the Howard place, three miles southeast 
of Sweetwater. 

5. Sarah, m. Cunningham. 

6. Joseph, b, in Grainger County, September 10, 1813. 

7. Nicholas Grant. 

8. John Horn, d. on the plains en route to California, 
August 22, 1849. 

9. Stirling Creed, d. when a child. 

10. Mary Anna, m. Colonel John A. Rowan. 

The family largely settled about the father's home 
and at one time the sons and sons-in-law owned con- 
tiguous farms from Christiansburg church to the Davy 
Walker farm near Glenloch. 

Joseph, the sixth child of Mary and Joseph Walker, 
Sr., was three times married. 

First to Caroline Cleveland, daughter of Rev. Eli 
Cleveland on March 1, 1838, Robert Snead, M. G. She 
died August 28, 1840. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 337 

Second, he married on July 22, 1845, Elizabeth Jane 
Prater, R. Snead, M. G. She died on January 14, 1846. 
Third, he married Lodusky Jones, the sister of Joseph 
D. and Jesse Jones, on FelDruary 2, 1848, the Rev. R. 
Snead again officiating. Her death oc<?urred on Sep- 
tember 25, 1875. 

Mr. Walker was a member of the Baptist church and 
of the F. A. Masons. Like a great many of the old line 
whigs he was a Union man and opposed to secession 
until the state voted to secede and then he cast his lot 
with the state. In August, 1861, he was elected repre- 
sentative from Monroe County to the General Assem- 
bly, and was a member of Governor Harris ' Legislature 
at the time it left Nashville, because of the occupation 
of that part of the state by Federal troops. Mr. Walker 
was noted in his community for the generous help to 
young men starting for themselves in life. A few 
years ago when Squire William Sample died, in 
tribute to his memor}'', his son wrote how his father's 
early start in life had been due to Mr. Walker's help, 
in tools, farming implements and opportunities secured 
by the latter 's aid. 

Joseph Walker left four daughters, all children of his 
last wife. These daughters have all been teachers. 

(1) Mary Caroline, m. J. Harrison Lowry August 16, 
1871. They lived at the old homestead on Fork Creek 
until 1882 when they came to Sweetwater. He has been 
a merchant, traveling man and recorder of Sweetwater 
in turn. He is a Presbyterian and she a Baptist. Mrs. 
Lowry has been a teacher in the public schools of Sweet- 
water since 1895 and still is in 1916. J. Harrison Lowry 
died on September 25, 1916. Their children are: 

Carl Jones, b. January 29, 1875; m. Helen Gardner, 
of Charleston, S. C, October 1, 1905. They have one 
son, Carl J., Jr., b. September 5, 1907. Carl J., Sr., is 
now (1916) an accountant in the railway office at Hat- 
tiesburg, Miss. 

Cleveland Morton, b. October 31, 1881 ; m. Schiller 
Ferguson in 1908. He is a railway clerk at Hattiesburg, 
Miss. 

Helen, is a music teacher. 

Emmett Ramsey, b. April 11, 1885, is a railway clerk 



338 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALiLEY 

at Meridian, Miss. He married Pearl Ten, of Mobile, 
Miss., on January 29, 1913. 

(2) Elizabeth Jane, second daughter of Joseph and 
Lodusky Walker, was born on Fork Creek. She taught 
in country, near Philadelphia, until she went to Chi- 
cago in 1882. She graduated in Colonel Francis A. 
Parker's Cook County Normal. She then taught twenty- 
four years in the public schools of Chicago, where she 
now (1916) lives. 

(3) Emma Alice, was born in Fork Creek Valley. She 
was teacher at Dallas, Texas, from 1882 until June 1, 
1904, when she married Colonel Joseph F. Swords. He 
resides at Dallas. 

(4) Laura Eugenia, b. on Fork Creek. She moved to 
Dallas, Texas, where she taught some years in the city 
schools. She is now (1916), and has been for ten years, 
Sunday-school visitor and pastor's assistant in the First 
Baptist Church of Dallas, of which the Rev. George 
Truett is pastor. 



S. Y. B. Williams. 

Information not known to the writer was obtained 
mostly from Taylor Williams at Chattanooga, Tenn. 

Subject of this sketch was born in Madisonville, Tenn., 
March 30, 1830. His father was William Williams of 
Madisonville, one of the first settlers of that toAvn. His 
mother was Polly Cline, a cousin of Jacob Cline who 
lived near Loudon, Tenn. 

When but a boy he went to Reagans and clerked for 
J. A. and C. W. Coffin. 

When Sweetwater began to be a town, J:his store was 
moved here, and he became a partner of J. A. Coffin. At 
different times he was in partnership with J. A. Wright, 
A. C. Humphreys, W. H. Taylor. 

During the Civil War he purchased from James A. 
Wright a farm one and a half miles from Sweetwater, 
now the Kilpatrick farm, which he afterwards sold to 
Isaac Benson. During the latter part of the Civil War 
he acted as agent for the East Tennessee and Georgia 
Railroad at Sweetwater. 

After the Civil War he went to Knoxville and was 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VA1.LEY 339 

chief clerk of the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad; 
after the consolidation of this road with the East Ten- 
nessee and Virginia Railroad, he was sent to Bristol in 
the same capacity. Later he was made general agent, 
which place he filled for nearly twenty years. After 
he left Bristol and the railroad employment he went to 
Chattanooga and engaged in wholesale and retail coal 
business ; this he carried on there until his death, which 
occurred January 19, 1908. He was buried in Forest 
Hill Cemetery. 

He was a member of the Presbyterian church and a Ma- 
son. He was universally popular and was a fine busi- 
ness man. He did much in the early days to build up 
the trade of Sweetwater. He was a liberal giver to all 
benevolent purposes. 

He was twice married, first to Mary L. Jones, daugh- 
ter of J. D, Jones, of Philadelphia, on October 30, 1856. 
She lived only a few years. They had one son, Charles 
Williams, who died when a young man. 

His second wife was Barbara Bogart, daughter of 
Solomon Bogart, also of Philadelphia. They were mar- 
ried in February, 1860. She died July 22, 1866, at the 
age of 29 years and 9 months. She was the mother of 
three children who all died in infancy. 



J. W. D. Williams 

Was born at Madisonville, January 9, 1841. His father 
was William Williams. His mother was Sarah Steele 
of Madisonville. He was therefore a half brother to 
S. Y. B. Williams. He went to Sweetwater at the close 
of the Civil War, entered the produce business with 
William Calfee. 

He married Florence Stowe, granddaughter of Thorn- 
ton C. Goddard. He moved to Knoxville afterwards 
and was in the railroad business. He died in Chatta- 
nooga December, 1910. Their li\dng children are: Lil- 
lian (Mrs. Albert Welcker), St. Elmo; McChesney Wil- 
liams, Chattanooga ; James, also Chattanooga, and Ruby. 



340 history of sweetwater valley 

The Yearwoods. 

There are families some members of which from gen- 
eration to generation are leading and distinguished men 
renowned alike in war and peace ; who tower above the 
great majority of their fellow citizens through long 
periods. Such were the Lees of Virginia, the Harrisons 
of Virginia, Illinois and Indiana, and the Adams of 
Massachusetts. There are certain individuals of fam- 
ilies that stand alone or who are distinguished far above 
any of the name, whose parentage gave no promise of 
renown and whose name in a measure died with them. 
Of such were Abraham Lincoln and Patrick Henry. 

There, are others called in England the great middle 
class. They are well educated, industrious, thrifty and 
hospitable. They are law abiding citizens, well enough 
to do to practise the amenities and courtesies of civil- 
ized life, brave and patriotic enough to answer to the 
call of their country when menaced by foes foreign or 
domestic. These have been the backbone and bulwarks 
of our states and nation. They may not furnish presi- 
dents and governors in times of peace, nor generals in 
war times, but in war they are the men behind the guns 
and in peace stand for law and order, morality and edu- 
cation. Such a family have been the Yearwoods. Some 
of them came here in colonial times. It is but natural 
that long residence and ancestral traditions should in- 
tensify a love for home and country. The native, other 
things being equal, is more patriotic and has a greater 
desire for the prosperity of his state than a late arrival 
from tha. fatherland whether it is Italy, Germany or 
Russia. Being educated here he better understands the 
genius of our government. The colonists mostly came 
from England, they of course spoke the English lan- 
guage and their customs and laws were taken therefrom. 
Therefore an English immigrant actuated by a love of 
freedom was almost one of us before he arrived here. 
For these reasons we feel it not inapt to speak of the 
ancestors of the Yearwoods that came to Sweetwater 
Valley. 

Wm. Yearwood, whom we call the first, that is the first 
who settled in this country of the Yearwood family, 
came from England. Tlie approximate date even is not 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 341 

known but likely somewhere from 1730 to 1740 and made 
his home in Charleston, S. C. He there reared a fam- 
ily. He lived to be 90 years of age. This was remark- 
able as at that time Charleston and the country round 
were very much subject to yellow and miasmatic fevers 
which often proved fatal. 

He was an extremely expert fencing master and 
taught the youth of his city that art. To know how to 
use the sword was part of a liberal education. It was 
a day when an insult was wiped out with blood on the 
field of honor. To fight a duel was not contrary to law 
and many a one was fought with swords as weapons. 

When the Revolutionary began Wm. Yearwood, the 
I, was likely of too advanced an age to stand hard- 
ships of a campaign, or from his profession he would 
have become a soldier. No mention is made of his en- 
listing. 

However his son, Wm. Yearwood, whom for con- 
venience we will call the II, was a member of Captain 
Wm. Alexander's company and served under Gen- 
eral Wm. Sumpter during the Revolutionary War. He 
w^as wounded in the arm at the Battle of Ramsours Mill 
Pond and Mrs. Ramsour cut the bullet out with her 
husband's razor. He was the ancestor of Wm. Year- 
wood w^ho lived in Sweetwater Valley. 

Wm. Yearwood, III. 

This Wm. Yearwood was born in Charleston, S. C, 
on January 8, 1780. He had three brothers and two 
sisters. He was educated and grew to manhood in 
Charleston. He volunteered in the war of 1812. He 
was in Captain Sublett's company in a regiment led by 
Colonel Wm. Henderson and served under General 
Jackson. He was in service all through the war and 
when it ended was honorably discharged. At the age 
of 25 he married at Charleston. His wife lived only 
a few years, dying in 1818. One son, Elijah, was 
born April 13, 1807. Not a great while after her 
death he married Martha Neely on January 24, 1809. 
She was born October 24, 1789. She was the daughter 
of John and Martha Dickson Neely. He (Neely) was 
1st lieutenant under General Nathaniel Greene in the 



342 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VAULEY 

Revolutionary War. He was wounded at the Battle 
of Eutaw Springs and was lamed for life. Wm, Year- 
w^ood soon after his second marriage moved to Bun- 
combe County, N. C, remaining there for a few years. 
From there he went to Dutch Bottoms on the French 
Broad River in Cocke County, Tenn. In 1814 he 
bought a farm in Rutherford County, Tenn., near 
Murfreesboro. He engaged in general farming and the 
raising of thoroughbred horses. In 1824 he sold out in 
Rutherford County and came to Sweetwater Valley, con- 
tracted or bought part of what has been known for a 
number of years as the Robt. Snead farm and moved 
his family there. About 1836 he bought the J. H. Pickel 
farm (now known as that) where he resided for several 
years. He sold again and purchased a farm in McMinn 
County, near Reagan's. He lived there until the tinie 
of his death which occurred August 5, 1865, at the age 
of 85 years and seven months. His wife Martha Neely 
Yearwood died on February 14, 1867, aged 78 years and 
4 months. They were both buried in Netherland Cem- 
etery near Mount Harmony Church in McMinn County. 

It is said that in the war of 1812 he belonged to Cap- 
tain Sublett's company in a regiment led by Colonel 
Wm. Henderson under command of Greneral Jackson. 
If so he must have volunteered from either Buncombe 
County, N. C, or Cocke County, Tenn., because he was 
not in South Carolina, if the dates given heretofore are 
right and he did not return there. Wm. Yearwood was 
in the Seminole War, volunteering with his son, Thomas 
in 1835, in Captain Thomas Prigmore's company; 
regimental officer Colonel McClelland, under General 
Newton Cannon. He was sociable, hospitable, fond of 
amusements, fiddling and dancing. He taught all of his 
children both girls and boys, who showed any talent 
that way, to play the fiddle. 

Changing an old rhyme somewhat it might be said 
of him: 

He shot the musket, he swung the sword 

Fiddler and fighter through, 
Champion of lady, hater of lord 

Dancer and farmer too, 

Being quite versatile in his accomplishments. 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 343 

Wm. Yearwood, III, and Martha Neeley Yearwood, 
second wife, had seven children: four sons and three 
daughters. 

Child of first wife was Elijah Yearwood, born April 
13, 1807, Charleston, S. C. He married one Prudence 
Morrow and went to Arkansas. 

Children of second wife: 

Thomas Yearwood, born April 2, 1810, in Buncombe 
County, N. C. ; Nancy Neeley Yearwood, July 24, 1814, 
in Rutherford County, Tenn. ; William Yearwood, born 
December 24, 1816, in Rutherford County, Tenn.; Ho- 
race Burton Yearwood, born March 3, 1820, in Ruther- 
ford County, Tenn. ; Sarah Dickson Yearwood, born May 
26, 1823, in Rutherford County, Tenn. ; James Morrow 
Yearwood, born February 5, 1825, died January 12, 
1863, in Monroe County, Tenn. ; Martha Jane Yearwood, 
born July 24, 1829, in Monroe County, Tenn. 

Colonel Horace Burton Yearwood 

Was born at Murfreeslioro, Rutherford County, Tenn., 
March 13, 1820. He died at his residence near County 
Line two and one-half miles southwest of Sweetwater, 
on June 17, 1897. He was buried in old Sweetwater 
cemetery. He married Elizabeth Esther Scruggs, 
daughter of Elder John Scruggs, September 30, 1847, 
Robert Snead, M. G., officiating. She died October 25, 
1905. He was a member of Co. "H" (Captain Jno. D. 
Lowry) 2nd Reg. Tenn. Vol. Inf. in the Mexican War, 
joining in 1845. He was colonel in the state militia. 

At the beginning of the Civil War he was quarter- 
master with the rank of colonel in C. S. A. under Gen- 
eral Beauregard and stationed at Augusta, Ga. He was 
a charter member of Sweetwater Lodge, No. 292, F. & 
A. M. He was a member of the Baptist church at 
County Line. He was president of the Fair Associa- 
tion which held its meetings at Madisonville for a num- 
ber of years. He was the president and moving spirit 
in the Sweetwater Fair Association, whose grounds and 
track were one mile west of Sweetwater. Being an au- 
thority on all kinds of stock, especially horses, he was 
in great demand at all the fairs in East Tennessee, and 



344 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAUjEY 

also for the reasons that he was fair and impartial in 
his decisions. He wrote frequently for the Sweetwater 
papers a series of articles which he called ''Horse 
Talk." He was a farmer. He with his brother Wil- 
liam, purchased school land in 1845. H. B. obtained the 
grant from the state No. 4836 of date April 19, 1855, 
signed by Governor Andrew Johnson. At different 
times he bought small parcels to add to it from F. A. 
Patton, J. J. Browder and S. J. Rowan. He was the 
first man on this line of road to place windows in his 
barn, saying that horses needed light as well as food 
and other attentions. Some who laughed at him after- 
ward followed his example. 

He was genial, jovial and popular and was always a 
welcome visitor to the town. He was tall and of impos- 
ing presence and showed to a great advantage on horse- 
back, being a natural born horseman. He was therefore 
solicited and led many processions both masonic and 
political and was always equal to the occasion. 

The information contained in these sketches not per- 
sonally known to the w^riter was obtained from Miss 
Miranda E. and Daniel Bone Yearwood, to whom ac- 
knowledgment is hereby made. 

His children were : 

1. William Cerro Gordo, b. July 12, 1848. Unmarried 
and lives at Sweetwater. 

2. John Scruggs, b. January 12, 1850; d. August 1, 
1903, at Riceville, Tenn. 

3. Richard J., b. August 8, 1853. 

4. Lavinia Ida, b. June 12, 1856; d. December 10, 
1890. 

5. Horace Burton, b. January 12, 1860. Railway con- 
ductor in Mexico for fifteen years. Now lives at San 
Antonio, Texas. 

6. Daniel Boone, b. March 3, 1862. Farmer living at 
Riceville, Tenn. 

7. James Bennie, b. October 2, 1863. Was drowned 
June 9, 1873. 

8. Francis Carter, b. October 27, 1864. Telegrapher 
in the employ of railroad company for twenty-nine years 
(1916). Lives at Sweetwater, Tenn. 

9. Charli(s b. December 27, 1867; d. January, 1868. 

10. Hugh, b. December 19, 1868; d. August 21, 1889. 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VAliLEY 345 

John Scruggs Yearwood was first a railroad employee 
and then editor of the Monroe Democrat and was post- 
master at Sweetwater under Cleveland's first adminis- 
tration. He was married to Mary Belle Fitzgerald, 
daughter of the Eev. J. B. Fitzgerald, at FuUen's Sta- 
tion (now Chncky City, Tenn.), December 27, 1876. 
Their children are : 

Pearl, b. December 30, 1877; d. January 1, 1878. 

Ida Zoe, b. at Euchee, Tenn., April 7, 1879. Lives with 
Boone Yearwood. 

Sadie Ethel, b. at Euchee, Tenn., March 15, 1881; d. 
February 4, 1889. 

James Horace, b. at Sweetwater, June 3, 1885. Lives 
at Knoxville, Tenn. 

Ella Hortense, b. Sweetwater, June 2, 1885. Lives at 
Knoxville. 

Mack Fitzgerald, b. Sweetwater, May 26, 1887. Re- 
sides in Knoxville. 

Hugh Gaines, b. Oaksdale, Wash. Lives at Knoxville. 

Mrs. J. S. Yearwood was born at Waynesville, N. C, 
August 8, 1853. She died at Sweetwater, January 4, 
1904. 

Richard Jarnagin Yearwood married Jennie Walker, 
January 10, 1883. (See D. H. Cleveland.) 

Francis Carter Yearwood married Mattie Moulton, 
February 10, 1891. She was born November 7, 1867, 
in Meigs County, the daughter of Jno. P. Moulton, who 
was a soldier in the Confederate army. Her mother's 
name was Brady. Their children were: Esther, d. in 
infancy; Francis C, Jr., b. November 1, 1896. Student 
at Carson and Newman College, Jefferson City, Tenn. 

Wm. Yearwood, IV (Mexican War Veteran). 

In 1845 he and his brother H. B., purchased a farm 
near County Line in Monroe County. Soon after when 
the call for volunteers for the Mexican War came, he 
with his brothers, Thomas and H. B., enlisted in Co. 
H 2nd Reg. Tenn. Vol. Inf. The officers of the com- 
pany were: John D. Lowry, captain; Wm. Yearwood, 
1st lieutenant; John Willson, second lieutenant; and 
James Forrest, third lieutenant. They were ordered to 
assemble at Memphis, Tenn., and there in June, 1846, 



346 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

they were sworn into service. The officers of the Sec- 
ond Regiment were: J. E. Thomas, colonel; R. D. Al- 
lison, lieutentant-colonel ; Richard Waterhouse, major. 
From Memphis they took steamers to New Orleans, La., 
and embarked in ships and arrived on the Brazos River 
early in July, 1846. He participated in the capture of 
Monterey, Mex., in the following August. After the cap- 
itulation of Monterey there followed a four months' 
armistice. The second regiment was placed under the 
command of General Scott. They marched to Tampico 
and from there sailed for Vera Cruz, where they landed 
in December. The siege guns opened fire on the city 
which continued for several days. To the second regi- 
ment was assigned the task of assaulting the barricade 
which defended the Maderine Bridge. It was taken. 
After a siege of seven days the city surrendered, the 
castle of San Juan Ulloa on the 29th of December. After 
the conquest of Vera Cruz Greneral Scott soon began his 
triumphant march to the city of Mexico. At the assault 
of Cerro Gordo on April 18, 1847, the second regiment 
was left on the line. The assault was very vigorous. 
Tlie second regiment became entangled in the chapparal 
in front of the Mexican fortifications and suffered ter- 
ribly — their loss being seventy-one. Here while in com- 
mand of his company Lieutenant Wm. Yearwood fell 
mortally wounded in the shoulder and side. He lived 
for six days, dying on April 24. After the expiration of 
his term of enlistment his brother, Thomas Yearwood, 
brought his body home to McMinn County and the re- 
mains were interred in the cemetery at Athens. 

Thomas Yearwood 

Was born in Buncombe County, N. C, April 2, 1810. 
Died May 24, 1889, at his farm two and one-half miles 
southeast of Sweetwater, buried in old Sweetwater 
Cemetery. He lived with his father, Wm. Yearwood, 
until the Seminole War. He volunteered with "his father 
in that war. He was in the 1st Tenn. Reg. under Colonel 
McClelland. 

He volunteered again in the Mexican War, in 1846, 
joining with his brothers, Wm. and H. B. Yearwood, 
Co. H 2nd Tenn. Reg. Vol. Inf. They rendezvoused in 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 347 

Kjioxville. Went from Knoxvill^' to Memphis on the 
steamboats ''Knoxville" and "Harry Hill." Then they 
went to New Orleans from Memphis. At New Orleans 
they embarked on the ships Sevia, Virginia and Endora 
for the Brazos River. He w^as at the capture of Mon- 
terey, Mexico., in August. The climate and water were 
unhealthful and many got sick and died, even more 
than were killed Ij^y the bullets of the Mexicans. Thomas 
Yearw^ood, though suffering and weakened from dysen- 
tery, refused sick leave and was with General Scott 
and participated in all the engagements of the company. 
He returned after his period of enlistment expired 
bringing home the body of his brother, William, who 
was killed at Cerro Gordo. On September 8, 1835, he 
was married to Lavenia Walker Scruggs, daughter of 
Rev. John Scruggs, on Chestua. 

In 1854 he purchased the farm two and one-half miles 
southeast of Sweetwater now owned by his sons, T. A. 
and R. S. Yearwood, w^here he resided at the time of 
his death, May 24, 1889. His wife was born February 
3, 1832, and died August 4, 1899. They are both buried 
in old Sweetwater Cemetery. 

Thomas Yearwood was an honest, fearless, outspoken 
man. He hated all shams and hypocrisy. He was an 
ardent whig and w^as a Union man during the war and 
not afraid to aver it even during Confederate occupa- 
tion. He said he could not stultify himself by holding 
against the flag under which he had fought through two 
wars. Besides being a farmer he was a contractor and 
builder. He is said to have built one of the first if not 
the first house in the town. It was the house used as 
his office and shop by Dr. M. C. Parker. It stood near 
where the Hyatt Hotel now stands. It is now part 
of the old building standing on the west side of the hotel 
lot. There is some conflict of opinion as to the first 
house built in the town, as several were commenced 
nearly at the same time, when it was found where the 
depot was to be located. I am inclined to the one ex- 
pressed above. 

Thomas Yearwood w^as a slave owner and a successful 
farmer and a good neighbor. He was always considered 
impulsive and eccentric. He possessed little of what 
is known as ''policy." He did not hesitate to speak 



348 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

his mind on any and all occasions, and did not mince 
matters. He never pretended to be what he was not. 
No one ever accused him of being a hypocrite. Is it not 
better to err on the side of too plain speaking than to 
lack boldness to tell the truth? 
The children of Thomas and Lavinia Yearwood were : 

1. James Forrest, b. June 16, 1854; m. Harriette Flor- 
ence, daughter of H. H. Morris of McMinn County, Sep- 
tember 11, 1879. He died at Butler, Bates County, Mo., 
January 12, 1887, and was buried there, as also were 
his son Paul and daughter Inez, both of whom died at 
early age. His widow resides at Knoxville, Tenn. 

2. Martha Theresa, b. July 11, 1857. She married 
John Scott Young of Monroe County, on December 17, 
1876. He was a druggist in Sweetwater. She lives in 
Sweetwater. Their children were: Clarence E. (See 
W. T. Lenoir.) Earl, b. August 9, 1880. 

3. John Francis, b. October 30, 1859. Married Ella 
Coffee, daughter of Colonel Coffee of Georgetown, Feb- 
ruary 4, 1892. 

4. William Frederick, b. March 27, 1862. Lives at 
Sweetwater. 

5. Thomas Abijah, b. August 2, 1865. Farmer. 

6. Miranda Elizabeth, b. January 26, 1868. 

7. Robert Snead, b. December 23, 1870. Farmer. 

8. Lora May, b. June 30, 1875 ; d. at Sweetwater, June 
4, 1900. 

The other children of Wm. Yearwood, III, and Nancy 
Neeley Yearwood were : 

Nancy Neeley Yearwood (second) married Robert L. 
Johnson, June 12, 1838. 

Sarah D. Yearwood married Frank A. Holt, October 
26, 1845. 

James M. Yearwood married twice, first to Susan Low- 
ry, November 20, 1853, and second to Carnelia Nether- 
land, to whom one son was born. He lived near Cleve- 
land, Tenn. 

Martha Jane Yearwood married S. B. Haines. Two 
children: Sam Y. and . 

Henry Bradley 

Was born on Ball Play Creek, Monroe County, Feb- 
ruary 8, 1827. He, while a young man, was in the em- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 349 

ploy of C. M. McGliee, who owned what was afterward 
the Calloway farm on Little Tennessee River. He mar- 
ried Margaret Williams on January 26, 1859. (C. M. 
McGhee, J. P.) She was born March 29, 1834. He was 
a farmer. He came to Sweetwater in 1865. He first 
lived on the lot afterward the electric light property; 
then on lot No. 58 back of the C. P. church. After that 
he bought fifty acres of land from W. B. Lenoir and 
moved to the I. T. Lenoir residence. He died there on 
March 14, 1897. His wife died June 6, 1909. Their 
children were: 1. Nannie, d. in infancy; 2. Matt, b. Oc- 
tober 11, 1862, d. July 29, 1900; 3. Andrew K, d. June 
17, 1908; 4. D. S.; 5." Sarah, September 29, 1872; 6. 
Luke; 7. John. 

3. Andrew, married Amanda Jane Heabler, January 
11, 1892. She was born December 13, 1867. Their chil- 
dren were: (1) Henry, electrician in the navy; (2) Lo- 
rena Margaret, b. August 31, 1894. She is a trained 
nurse in Atlanta; (3) Carrie, b. December 14, 1896, is 
a graduate of Clinton, S. C. High School; (5) Frank 
Russell, b. February 14, 1906, died in infancy; (4) Hugh 
Carleton, b. August 25, 1904. 

4. D. S. married Myrtle Kratzer, June 19, 1909. He is 
a farmer. Their children are Robert, William and Sa- 
rah Rose. 

5. Sarah, married W. T. McGuire, of Jellico, Tenn., 
June 16, 1893. He d. March, 1904. 

6. Luke, married Rose Ewry, of Lafayette, Ind. They 
live in Houston, Texas. Their children are Elizabeth, 
Walter and Jane. 

7. John, b. June 12, 1873 ; married Beulah Sue, daugh- 
ter of Gideon B. and Elizabeth Johnson, on December 
16, 1903. He is a member of the firm of Guthrie, Brad- 
ley and Jones, Sweetwater, Tenn. He is a Democrat, a 
Mason and a Presbyterian, They have one child, Mar- 
garet Elizabeth. 

Matt Carter 

Was born in Greenville, S. C. on December 15, 1829. 
He came to Jonesboro, Tenn., when a young man and 
there married Mary Emma Brown (Rev. David Sul- 
lins, M. G.). She was a school teacher and the daughter 



350 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

of Captain Enoch Brown of Jonesboro. (Bishop E. E. 
Hoss of the M. E. Church, South, attended the first 
school she taught.) They moved to Cleveland, Tenn., 
in 1857. He there joined the M. E. Church, South, in 
1859. They moved to Sweetwater in the spring of 1865. 
He was first a manufacturer of tinware and was, for 
years before his death, a produce merchant. He was 
made a Master Mason in Sweetwater Lodge No. 292, on 
April 17, 1867. 

In old Sweetwater cemetery are monuments bearing 
these inscriptions: "In memory of my dear husband, 
Matt Carter, born in Greenville, S. C, December 15, 
1829. Died April 28, 1885. 'The Noblest Work of 
God, an Honest Man.' 

In memory of our dear mother, Mary Brown Carter, 
born at Jonesboro, Tenn., October 17, 1831. Died May 
29, 1906. 'Life is Richer, Heaven is Sweeter Because 
of Mother." 

The children of Matt and Mary Brown Carter were: 

1. Edgar V., b. He graduated at Emory 

and Henr}^ College, Va., where he obtained the orator's 
medal. After graduation there he studied law. He mar- 
ried Kate, the daughter of A. C. Robeson, of Athens, 
Tenn. He went to Atlanta, Ga., where he began the 
practice of law as a member of the firm of Mynatt and 
Howell. He is now of the firm of E. V. Carter and 
sons, who are one of the leading ones of the city. Of- 
fice in the Atlanta National Bank Building. Residence, 
141 Lee Street, West End. The children of E. V. and 

Kate Carter are: Robeson, b. ; E. V. Jr., b. 

; Frank, b. ; Katherine May, b. 

2. Robert LaFayette, married Viola Cleveland. (See 
Clevelands. ) 

3. Andrew P., married (first) Pauline Gray, of At- 
lanta, Ga. One child, A. P. Jr. He married .(second) 
Eva Wintersmith, of Louisville, Ky. One child, Rich- 
ard. 

4. Walter Bland, married Pearl Linch, of Atlanta, 
Ga. Their children are : Afton W., Walter and Pearl 
Corrie. 

5. Fred. A., b. October 14, 1870. He was educated at 
Sweetwater College. He married (first) Josephine 
King, daughter of A. S. and Laura J. King, of Atlanta, 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 351 

Ga., on November 14, 1895. She died May 27, 1903. 
Their children are : 

Josephine, b, at Atlanta, June 16, 1897. Student at 
Martha Washington College, Va. ; Mary Craig, b. April 
3, 1899. 

F. A. Carter was in the employ of the Sweetwater 
Woolen Mills as boold^eeper and then as secretary and 
treasurer. He is now president of the American Tex- 
tile Woolen Company. He married (second) Belle, 
daughter of the late John M. Jones, on June 14, 1905. 
She is president of the City Beautiful League and choir 
leader of the Methodist Church, South, and Mr. Carter 
is superintendant of the Sunday-school, the largest and 
most progressive in Sweetwater with an average at- 
tendance of about 375 for the year 1916. The church 
is now building a Sunday-school annex. 

6. May, the youngest child of Matt and Mary Carter, 
was born June 30, 1872. Was educated at Centenary 
College, Cleveland, Tenn., and Price's College, Nash- 
ville, Tenn. She married Frank Y. Jackson. He joined 
the Holston Conference, M. E. C, South, in 1890. He is 
a noted revivalist. He is now (1916) in charge of 
Marion, Va. church. The children of Mary and Frank 
Y. Jackson are : Mary, Frank Y., Margaret and Mans- 
field. 

Mary Isabella Magill Montgomery. 

The following sketch is taken by permission of R. E. 
Magill, of Richmond, Va., from the "Magill Family 
Record" book: 

Mary Isabella Magill (daughter of Nathaniel and 
Jane Rankin Magill), born April 20, 1829; died March 
10, 1906, at the home of her sister, Penelope, Mrs. J. R. 
Russell; buried at Madisonville. Married to James 
Harvey Montgomery, at the home of her father, Octo- 
ber 19, 1849. (J. H. Montgomery, born February 7, 
1825. Died at their home, in Sweetwater, Tenn., May 
26, 1888; buried on Fork Creek.) 

Tlie subject of this sketch was a woman loved by 
everybody who knew her; of a bright, sunny, cheerful, 
self-sacrificing, loving disposition, she scattered sun- 
shine wherever she went. Ever ready to lend a helping 



352 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

hand. ''None knew her but to love her." Their first 
home was in Fork Creek Valley, near Glenloch, Tenn. 
Her husband was a tanner. Selling out his business, 
after a number of years, they moved to Sweetwater. 
In 1866 they went to California and lived about eight 
years at San Jose, and followed the dairy Dusiness. Re- 
turning to Sweetwater they kept a private boarding 
house and also a meat market. After the death of her 
husband, she went to live at the home of her sister, Mrs. 
J. R. Russell, near Madisonville. Always ready to go 
to the bedside of the sick with her help and cheering 
words, everybody was always and everywhere glad to 
welcome ''Aunt Mary." Her very presence was a bless- 
ing, and her exalted Christian character will always be 
remembered as a high ideal by all who were privileged 
to know her." 

(I endorse unreservedly all the statements made as 
to the beauty and goodness of her character. I boarded 
with her for seven years and rented her house for an ad- 
ditional seven. I knew her for more than fortv years. 
W. B. L.) 

The Misses Coffin. 

In the fall of 1872 there came to Sweetwater five sis- 
ters, none of them then married. The eldest of them 
was 30 years of age and the youngest about 16. They 
had lost one brother in 1862 of fever taken at Manassas 
during the Civil War. They had also lost both father 
and mother, the latter about a year previous. They had 
a lovely home in the country. They had numerous rela- 
tives and a host of friends. Their father previous to 
his decease had advised them however not to attempt to 
live in the old home but to select some town on the rail- 
road in which to reside. They had been left with ample 
means and had a wealthy brother-in-law in New York, 
and the whole country was before them to choose. They 
were importuned by their friends in various towns and 
cities to select or build a home in their midst, and the 
advantages of each location were placed before them 
and many inducements were offered. It may have been 
for sentimental reasons, as they had all been born and 
reared in Monroe County, that they chose Sweetwater 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 355 

for their home; this too when our town lacked the ad- 
vantages it could offer now. I think they never re- 
gretted their choice. The citizens of the town were 
more than delighted to have them. 

Tlieir ancestors on their father's side came from 
Massachusetts and had the New England culture and at- 
tainments and the New England conscience. On the 
mother's side came wealth, southern geniality and hos- 
pitality. The young ladies were so everything that was 
admirable and lovely that it has been said more than 
once that to have known the family, that alone would 
have made one's life worth living. The majority of the 
people here were convinced that what any one of them 
did was the right and iiroper thing to do. No one was 
jealous of their almost unbounded influence. They gave 
with such cheerful and ungrudging hand that the receiv- 
ers never felt the obligation weigh upon them. Not- 
withstanding they were sisters and were rarely sep- 
arated from each other for long at a time, they were 
yet unlike and differed from each other "as one star 
differeth from another in glory." The eldest sister had 
an intimate knowledge of most business transactions 
and values and yet was a womanly woman. Before her 
father's death for some years she had been his main 
stay in business and was amply able to have charge of a 
large estate: In the early days of the corporation of 
Sweetwater they paid one-third of the municipal taxes. 
It would have been very easy for them to have become 
tax dodgers, as a large part of their wealth consisted of 
notes, stocks and bonds, but that was not their way of 
doing business. They received from the taxes paid, as 
far as they were concerned, little benefit. The corpora- 
tion imperfectly macadamized the street in front of 
their lot for seventy-five feet; yet a corrupted voter 
who sold his vote for a few drinks or a dollar had more 
to say as to who should be mayor and aldermen of the 
town than the3^ One would have expected they would 
have been advocates of female suffrage, but Miss Sue 
Coffin always contended that woman's influence would 
not be best exercised that way. 

It has already been told, in the account of the build- 
ing of the new Presbyterian church and parsonage, that 
they contributed about half. Miss Sue said that they 



354 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

would not mind building the church themselves but 
thought that would be very impolitic. What people 
strive for and sacrifice for they take more interest in 
than what comes to them easy, and nothing is truer than 
this. Nor did she want to build a very expensive church 
for the purpose of outshining other denominations in a 
spirit of rivalry. Nor should thej^ build such a church 
as would strain the resources of the members to keep 
up, and starve the pastor, to keep up a show for the pub- 
lic. They were great church workers and they all, ex- 
cept the youngest, were teachers in the Sunday-school. 

Through their influence with their brother-in-law, 
John H. Imnan, a passenger depot was built here, which 
was very sadly needed. 

The Coffins had an abiding faith in their church, their 
town, their friends and kinfolks. Their effort was al- 
ways to help and build up not to tear down. Whatso- 
ever was deserving received their earnest and loyal 
support. 

One J. L. Bachman, formerly a soldier in the C. S. A., 
married Miss Fannie Rogan, a relative of theirs. He 
was then comparatively unknown to fortune and to 
fame. The trustees of the Union Institute were looking 
for a competent teacher. Owing to the Coffin influence, 
as much as anything else, the position was given to him. 
They did not then know much about him but knew in- 
timately his wife, and that was enough for them. When 
he once came to Sweetwater from Hawkins County, the 
citizens here would not let him go. He is here yet and 
has been since 1874, nearly forty-two years. We are not 
going to write his history; for that would take a book 
in itself — to tell of the thousands of young men he has 
taught, the hundreds of couples he has united in bonds 
of matrimony, the tens of thousands to whom he has 
preached, the sick he has visited, the numerous funeral 
services at which he has been speaker and comforter, 
the addresses he has delivered on social occasions, to 
give his masonic history, to mention his home life — 
these and many other things future historians will de- 
light to relate, but I shall not undertake it. Even were 
his coming to this section within the limit (1820-1865) 
I have set for myself, I would dislike to make so many 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALiiEY 355 

of the dead, about whom I have written, appear small by 
comparison. 

Nor shall I give a history of the Coffins more than 
as follows: 

James A. Coffin, son of Charles Coffin, D. D., b. No- 
vember 5, 1806; d. September 27, 1871. His wife was 
Margaret Martin, b. January 29, 1812; d. March 14, 
1865. Children were: 

Hugh M., b. August 7, 1840; d. December 5, 1861. 

Sue E., b. December 1, 1842; d. September 11, 1890. 

Sarah, b. January 8, 1846; d. January 16, 1899. 

'' Margaret, b. ; m. John H. Inman June 8, 

1870; d. 

Nancv, b. September 1, 1850; d. June 5, 1879. 
Mary Ella, b. June 17, 1853 ; d. December 14, 1898. 
Julia Ayer, b. ; m. James W. Harle, Octo- 
ber 23, 1878. 

The Misses Coffin built and lived in the house where 
S. T. Jones now resides. 

The Baptist Church on Sweetwater. 

A Baptist church is an association of baptized believ- 
ers organized for the salvation of sinners, the good of 
the community and its members and for the spread of 
its own peculiar beliefs. Denominationally there is no 
such thing as ''The Baptist Church." Each church is 
an entire, separate, independent and sovereign democ- 
racy. Each member, male or female, has equal rights 
and there are no special privileges. One has just as 
much power (not influence) as another. Even the pas- 
tor or elder in charge of a church has no voice in the 
affairs of that church, except advisory, unless he be a 
member. The only officers of the church are the mod- 
erator, the deacons and the clerk. These officers are 
elected and hold their office until their successors are 
elected and in case of the deacons ordained; the mod- 
erator and clerk require no special setting apart. The 
moderator's duty is to preside at the meetings, the 
clerks to record the proceedings of the business meet- 
ings, the deacons' to attend to the financial affairs of 
the church under instructions of the members. They 
have of themselves no authority to bind the church. 



356 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

They are trustees of the church property which is in 
their names. The number of deacons is usually three 
or more. Baptistically speaking the place where the 
members meet, if it belongs to them, is the church house, 
if it does not it is their meeting house or meeting place. 
The old Baptists never called any building ' ' a church. ' ' 
An elder in the Baptist church is an ordained minister 
or a member licensed to preach the word. 

These prefatory remarks, I think, are necessary for 
the proper imderstanding of the subject I am to discuss, 
viz: the Baptist Church on Sweetwater (Creek) between 
the towns of Sweetwater and Philadelphia, called in the 
records of that church, the Sweetwater church and some- 
times known as the Cleveland Baptist Church. I make 
no apology for writing of it. Not to give some account 
of that church in a history of the valley, which I am at- 
tempting to write, would be something like enacting the 
play of Hamlet with the character of Hamlet left out. 
It was the earliest church organized by people of this 
valley of which I have any knowledge; the number and 
prominence of its membership makes it historically 
speaking far the most remarkable church in the valley 
of any denomination whatever. 1 think it proper to 
state that no one has requested me to write this nor do 
I know that any one expects me to. What I say is en- 
tirely voluntary and without consultation with any of 
the members. 

ORGANIZATION OF THIS CHURCH. BELIEF SET FORTH. 

On the first Saturday in June, 1820, a number of persons met at 
the house of Dan'l Duggan on Fork Creek and a church was consti- 
tuted with the following Declaration of Principles. (We give these in 
full as they are short, clear and concise and so that it can be known 
what that church believed.) 

We believe: 

1. That the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the in- 
fallible word of God and the only rule of Faith, and Practice. 

2. There is only one true God and in the Godhead or Divine Essence 
there are Father, Son and Holy Ghost equal in Power and Glory. 

3. That by nature we are fallen and depraved creatures and it 
is not in man's powe^ to recover (of) himself from the fallen state 
he is in of his own free will and ability. 

4. That Salvation, Regeneration, Justification and Sanctification 
are by the Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascension and Intercession of 
Jesus Christ. 

5. That the saints will finally presevere through Grace to Glory. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 357 

6. That Baptism by Immersion is the only mode warranted by script- 
ure and true believers are the only proper subjects to receive the same. 

7. That the salvation and joys of the righteous will be everlasting 
and the punishment and torment of the wicked eternal. 

8. That it is our duty to be tender and affectionate to each other 
and in all things to try to promote the happiness of the children of 
God and in all things to set forth the declarative glory of God. 

9. We believe in the Resurrection of the dead and the general judg- 
ment by Jesus Christ. 

10. That no minister has a right to the administration of the ordi- 
nances only such as are regularly baptized, called and come under 
the imposition of hands by a Presbytery. 

11. That it is the duty of all church members to attend our church 
meeting, especially male members, and to admonish and deal with 
each other for the neglect of the same. 

12. That a Reception or Exclusion of church members ought to be 
by a unanimous voice of the church or the members present. 

Those who signed the foregoing articles at that meeting were: 

Male members: Dan'l Duggan, Samuel Jameson, John Fine, Robert 
Gregory, John Dillard, William Y. Arthur, Jeremiah Selvege and Moses 
McSpadden; Female members: Eunice Duggan, Rebecca Jameson, 
Nancy Fine, Sally Dillard, Mary Carter, Mary Selvege, Joanna Mc- 
Spadden and Elizabeth Taylor; 8 male and 9 female members. 

Elders present at the signing of the Constitution were: Geo. Snider 
and Obed Patty. 

Geo. Snider wa-s Moderator and Moses McSpadden was elected Clerk. 

RULES OF DECORUM. 

13 rules of decorum (parliamentary proceedings) were adopted. 
These were mostly such as might govern any deliberative body with 
the exception that it was made the duty of the Moderator to open 
the door of the church for the reception of new members at every 
business session of the church, (By session is meant the members of 
the church present sitting as a committee of the whole.) A person 
could become a member of the church in two ways: By letter from 
another Baptist church or by profession of faith and baptism. There 
were three ways of getting out of the Baptist church: By Death, 
Exclusion or by Letter. Even when a letter of Dismission was granted 
the church claimed jurisdiction over the conduct of the member "un- 
til joined to one of like faith and order." 

No business relative to the finances of this church was transacted in 
the early days, whatever may be the custom there now, except on 
Saturday. Not even a collection was taken up on Sunday. The finan- 
cial affairs were looked after by the Deacons. 

No person can have any conception of the polity of a Baptist church 
until he grasps the idea that, as stated, each is an independent sov- 
ereignty. There is no appeal from its action to any Association or 
higher earthly power. It is complete in itself. 

A Baptist clnirch in relation to the conduct of its 
members toward each other might well adopt the motto : 
*' Liberty, equality and fraternity," for as heretofore 
stated it is a pure democracy. By this phrase is not 
meant the "liberte, egalite and fraternite" of the French 



358 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Revolution, for that took no account of God or the 
Church. For this reason it was foredoomed to failure. 
It is not possible to change the customs, habits and re- 
ligious thought of a people of a sudden b}^ legislative 
enactment or legal process. This is the slow work of 
centuries. It has been said divers times (by whom first 
said I know not nor does it matter) "that if there were 
no God it would be necessary to promulgate a belief in 
one, ' ' a belief in the existence of the Supreme Being and 
a future state of rewards and punishments being es- 
sential to the well being and good order of society and 
that there should be a means of communication, revela- 
tion or otherwise, between the creature and the Creator. 
True the heavens show forth the power and glory of 
God, but you might gaze upon them for a thousand years 
and you would deduce therefrom no precept like the 
golden rule : "Whatsoever ye would that men should do 
to ^'ou, do ye even so them. ' ' This when translated and 
personified into action by the parliaments of the na- 
tions would become true "liberty, equality and fra- 
ternity. No war, no prisons, no poverty. The good and 
great in increasing numbers are bending their efforts 
in that direction. It has been the dream of poets 
through the ages, a dream perhaps not to have a per- 
fect realization but none the less beautiful and enchant- 
ing one. It shines transcendant, the triple star of hope, 
on the night gloom of a tear dimmed and misery cursed 
world. Blot out this aspiration and the inhabitants of 
earth would be ruled by a multiplicity of tyrannies. 

As stated in a former article some time since this 
church called Bethel was organized at Dan'l. Dug- 
gans on Fork Creek on the first Saturday in June, 1820. 
Occupation of land in the Hiwassee District was not per- 
mitted until this year and therefore the country was 
thinly populated. This shows the zeal which inspired 
the early settlers for their church and its work. 

The Meetings Where First Held. 

The meetings were held at D. Duggan's until and in- 
cluding the first Saturday in August, 1821. It was then 
decided for the convenience of scattered membership to 
hold two meetings of the church in each month, one on 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 359 

Fork Creek on the second Saturday and one on Sweet- 
water on the fourth Saturday in each month. Accord- 
ingly on the fourth Saturday following (August, 1821), 
a meeting w^as held at Jno. Fine's. He lived in a log 
house which is still standing on the hill above the double 
spring at the southwest boundary of Sweetwater corpo- 
ration line where the water works pumping station now 
is. At this meeting there were several accessions to the 
church. At the same meeting a committee was appoint- 
ed to meet at Thomas Wilson's on August 31 to pur- 
chase land on which to build a meeting house and report 
at next meeting. James Sewell was moderator and 
Sam'l. Jameson, clerk. It can be seen from this that 
when anything needed to be done these people did not let 
any grass grow under their feet. 

The Fork Creek branch of the church were not far 
behind. At a meeting at Joseph McSpadden's on the 
second Saturday in October Robert Gregory, Wm. Ar- 
thur and John Dillard were made trustees to purchase 
a site near McSpadden's for the erection of a church 
house and a school-house. 

The Parent of Other Churches. 

This church has been the parent of other churches. 
We know of no more satisfactory way of showing this 
than by giving some excerpts from the records of the 
church. 

"Fourth Saturday in Feb., 1S22. Trustees reported that they had 
purchased two acres of land from Mr. Hugh Boyd agreeable to orders 
at January meeting and had a bond for title for the same, which was 
received by the church. Ordered next meeting to be held at Mr. 
Boyd's." (Probably not a member of the church or he would have 
been called "Brother.") 

"Stage Stand on Sweetwater 4th Saturday in June, 1822. A propo- 
sition having been made by Bro. Jameson for the part of Bethel 
church that lies on Sweetwater to become a separate constituted body, 
it is therefore agreed and ordered that Brother Sewell and Fine be 
appointed delegates to attend upon the brethxen at the next meeting 
on Fork Creek to let them know our intention and select those ac- 
quiescing in such a measure to attend with us on that business the 
next meeting at Bro. Cleveland's." 

"Church meeting at E. Cleveland's 4th Saturday in Sept., 1822. 
Ordered that the church formerly called Bethel be hereafter perma- 
nently established on Sweetwater and be known in future as Sweet- 
water church." 

"Cleveland's 4th Saturday in October, 1822. Decided to build a 



360 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAUjEY 

church near his (Cleveland's) house. He promised a donation of 
land for building site and also land for a grave yard. Committee ap- 
pointed to attend to the business. 

"Fourth Saturday, April, 1834. Church requests ministerial breth- 
ren to hold a meeting at school house near Bro. Fine's on the second 
Saturday in each month." 

"4th Saturday, April, 1835. Members joining the church at the 
school house near Bro. Fine's have the privilege to "hold membership 
in the church on Pond Creek or wherever they may select." 

"4th Saturday in January, 1846. The church took into considera- 
tion the building of a brick meeting house and then drew subscrip- 
tion paper for the purpose of obtaining subscribers to accomplish the 
same and made Bro. D, Ragon our Trustee for the cash subscrip- 
tion to collect and pay over the same. Also to Bro. R. Snead appointed 
to collect the trade part of our subscription. Brethren D. Ragon, R. 
Snead and John Pennington made Trustees to superintend and carry 
on the work, to make all contracts and to value all labor that may be 
done, and (do) all things that may attain to the building of the same." 

On February 27, 1847, Eli Cleveland conveyed to the 
united Baptist church on Sweetwater the tract of land 
as follows: ''Beginning at the railroad near Cleve- 
land and son's fence and running with said fence 
around to the ford of the creek, thence up said creek 
to the foot log, thence with the lot to the corner bars, 
thence straight to the railroad, thence with said road to 
the beginning, containing five acres more or less. To 
be used for the following purposes : The lot at the meet- 
ing house to be extended so as to include said meeting 
house to be kept forever as a place for the worship of 
God, the balance of said piece of land to remain for- 
ever uninclosed for passways, the hitching of horse, 
etc. Second : Lot including the graveyard with as much 
more land adjoining the same as may be necessary for 
burying the dead. The said church or no other per- 
son or persons to have the right or privilege of selling, 
transferring or conveying the said pieces of land for 
any purpose than the ones above mentioned." 

He also confirmed this deed by his will in the follow- 
ing words bequeathing to his real estate ex- 
cept ' ' The part I gave to the United Baptist Church of 
Christ so long as they should wish to meet for the wor- 
ship of God ; but if they should fail to meet for that pur- 
pose it is no longer theirs and in that case to belong 
to my son. I except also a piece of land for a public 
burying ground whereat is now to be enlarged from time 
to time as it may be used for this purpose, so as to be 
confined to the bend of the creek and to the railroad." 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 361 

This is quoted for the purpose of showing the extra- 
ordinary foresight of giving and having given the 
amount of land so donated for church and cemetery and 
protecting the interests of the church and the public. It 
was also a new departure to have the church house and 
hur^'ing ground nearly a quarter of a mile distant from 
each other and not in close proximity, as was customary 
in those days. There is much ground subject to be used 
for a cemetery yet remaining at this date (1911). 

The word ''railroad" in the above deed and will is 
liable to be misleading. At the time (1847) the right 
of way had been graded in preparation for receiving the 
ties and iron, but they had not been laid down. Part of 
the grade on right of way was used as a public road. 
The iron on the right of way was not laid until 1852. 

I have not yet found out where Mr. Boyd lived or 
what was done with the land for which bond for title 
was given. I would also like some information as to 
where the frame church was built on the Cleveland 
land. I do not know as yet where the ''stage stand," 
referred to in the minutes of the church was. The pub- 
lic road, so far I am aware from Philadelphia to Rea- 
gan is the same (in 1911) almost as in the days of 
the old stage route before the completion of the East 
Tennessee & Georgia Railroad. 

The location of the Fine school-house spoken of 
was in the bend of the creek about one-fourth mile west 
of Sweetwater Cemetery. The building was a one-story 
log house about 35 by 20 feet. It was used not only 
for school purposes but for preaching and sometimes 
for justice's trials. The cleared land around was some- 
times used too for "musters" i. e., militia drill, which 
were in the early settling of the country obligatory. 

The Baptist Church in Sweetwater — Its Legislation" 
AND Executive Actions. 

As a Baptist church has no book of rules or constitu- 
tion, one must look to what it does in its business meet- 
ings to form an idea of how its members interpret cer- 
tain passages of scripture; to find out what they con- 
sider mandator}^ or prohibitive or what is merely ad- 
visory ; what one must do or refrain from doing or what 



362 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

is only suggested as best to do under certain circum- 
stances. No church or sect would likely' claim that St. 
Paul's ban on marriage was susceptible of a w^orld-wide 
application or that under any and all circumstances w^o- 
man should always keep silent in public. Nor should 
the special treatment or medical advice of St. Paul to 
Timothy, "Take a little wdne for the stomach's sake," 
be used by all persons indiscriminately. What was 
Timothy's special disorder, how much is "a little" and 
what proportion of alcohol did the wine contain? None 
but the Friends, I believe, take literally the passage 
counselling no resistance to assault or oppression, but 
when smitten on one cheek offer the other also. Few 
sects but take the words 'Ho wash one another's feet" 
as anything but advisory or as exhortation to practice 
humility rather than exalt one's self among the 
brethren. 

In the early days this church took more account of the 
daily business life than is customary now. When any 
one made a complaint to the church on a business day 
meeting that he had been cheated or defrauded by a 
member of the church, it was usual, if the charge was 
not frivolous, to appoint a committee of several mem- 
bers, known for their fairness and impartiality, to in- 
vestigate the matter and make a report. Dishonesty in 
trade was considered as grave an offense as lying, steal- 
ing or drunkenness or unfaithfulness to the marriage 
vows. They held that cheating was rarely accomplished 
save by lying and misrepresentation. This committee 
heard both sides and made their recommendation to the 
church. If the charge was sustained, the offender was 
required to make restitution, and, if he refused or failed 
to do so and proved obstinate, non-fellowship or exclus- 
ion was declared. (See minutes of second Saturday of 
May, 1822.) The difference between 'non-fellowship and 
exclusion, as I understand it, as practised by this church 
was that, in case of the former, repentance and restitu- 
tion usually restored one to membership; in the latter 
case the readministration of the ordinance of baptism, 
just as if he had never before joined the church, was 
necessary to full membership. In the days of Huss or 
Martin Luther they would have been called Anabaptists. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 363 

CHURCH ACTION ON SEVERAL QUESTIONS COMING BEFORE 

THEM. 

"4tlL Saturday of May, 1823. — A question arose as to the saints' 
washing of feet. After some debate on the subject it was conceived 
to be a duty (by some) held out by the example of the Saviour's fol- 
lowers to pursue (see John, Chap XIII.) to be kept up at every sac- 
ramental occasion." 

"A further question arose in the church whether it would be out of 
order or whether or not it was outside of duty to open a door for 
experience at any other time or place beside th.e regular meeting." 
Both questions were laid over. 

"4th Saturday in June, 1823. — Subject of Saints' Foot Washing taken 
up. Agreed to attend to that ordinance the following Sunday after 
jdivine service." (The writers information is that it was afterward 
discontinued as not being at any time an essential part of the church 
service.) 

"4th Saturday, July, 1823. — After debate decided to be improper to 
open the door of the church except at regular meetings." (Suppos- 
edly for the reason that it required a unanimous vote for admission 
and then no complaint could be filed when done at regular meetings.) 

"4th Saturday, May, 1831. — A complaint was made to the church 
of a sister who had been communing with the Cumberland Presby- 
terians. She refused to apologize to the church or acknowledge tha*. 
she had committed an error. Non-fellowship was declared." 

"4th Saturday in January, 1832. — Resolved, That any male mem- 
ber failing to attend two meetings in succession shall be required to 
give a reason for his absence, unless the cause be known by some 
brother present." Resolved — "That any member drinking ardent 
spirits until the effect is perceptible shall be treated with as drunk." 

Eli Cleveland, Moderator. 
R. Snead, Clerk. 

4th Saturday in May, 1835. — Resolved — "Whereas there are diffi- 
culties and disputings about missionary societies, associations, etc., 
much to the hurt of Zion, we the church at Sweetwater propose to our 
sister churches, within the bounds of Sweetwater Association, to meet 
with us in associate body at Chestua meeting house, on Tuesday be- 
fore the 4th Saturday in July next, for the purpose of consulting the 
best means to unite and bring about a union among the churches and 
brethren of the association and to consult and unite upon the best 
plan, according to the word of God, for the spread of the Gospel; 
churches to send letters and delegates. Brethren Cleveland, Snead 
and Taliaferro were appointed delegates to the meetings. Thus this 
church aligned itself with the Missionary Baptists in contradistinc- 
tion to those who opposing Foreign Missions and the payment of 
Pastors were sometimes termed "Hard Shell" Baptists. My informa- 
tion is that at the association held at Chestua a majority of the 
churches declared themselves in favor of both Home and Foreign Mis- 
sions. All the delegates sent by the church on Sweetwater were in 
favor of Missions. However as Pastors both brethren Cleveland and 
Snead refused pay for their services, not because th.ey thought it 
wrong to pay preachers, but, as they were well off financially with- 
out the salary, the church they thought could more profitably apply 
the money to other uses. 

A number of the brethren at different times were "unfellowshipped" 
for the offenses of "non attendance," "swearing," "drunkenness," 
"fighting," more for non-attendance on church meetings than for any 
other offense; a few for gambling. One brother in February, 1855, 



364 HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

was non-fellowshipped for "betting on a shooting matcli" although 
that was not contrary to the laws of the State of Tennessee. 

The recorded cases of gambling in the Bible are not numerous. 
Samson (Judges, Chaps. XIV. and XV.) bet with his friends "thirty 
linen garments and thirty changes of raiment." He thought he was 
betting on a "sure thing" and, as frequently happens, lost. He did 
not have the wherewith to pay. The way he got the means to liqui- 
date his "debt of honor" was anything but creditable. Samson was 
not a good loser. He spoke disrespectfully of his wife and left her 
with her parents. They soon got rid of her. The train of conse- 
quences were woeful all the way through. The Romans were great 
gamblers. They even cast lots for raiment of the Saviour. 



Some Church Statistics. 

From the inception of this church in 1820 up to and 
including the year 1872 there were more than 700 per- 
sons became members. The high water mark of mem- 
bership was reached in 1869, when the number of mem- 
bers became 289. The average of number would be from 
159 to 160 according to church reports sent to the dif- 
ferent associations. It would require too much space 
to give all those who have been members of this church. 

I would suggest however, if it is not already done, 
that the clerk of the church or some one compile an 
alphabetical list, giving the names of those who have 
been members, the date of admission, when died or 
dismissed, — a simple church history, so that such in- 
formation could be obtained without having to search 
through the whole of the church records. We give be- 
low some of the patronymics or surnames of the member- 
ship with the number in brackets, where there are sev- 
eral of the same name, for the first fifty years of this 
church or a little more than half of its existence. 

Adams, Alexander, Allen, Arthur, Allison, Barnes, 
Brewer, Beaty, Burns, Bodkins, Brown, Boyd, Bowman, 
Byrum (7), Burch, Brazeale, Berry, Bryant, Cleveland 
(20), Callaway (10), Carter (8), Chesnutt (4), Cooper, 
Cannon, Davis (3), Duggan, Dillard (3), Edwards (6), 
Esman, Fine (3), Fry, Fryer, Ferguson, Franklin, Grum- 
mett, Grady, Grisom, Harrison, Hathaway, Harris, 
Hatchett, Hudson, Hyde, Hill (3), Hood (2), Hagen, 
Humble, Harless (6), Hight, Houstaign, Haskins, Kelly, 
Kyle, Isbell, Jameson, Johnson (18), Jones (22), Kell, 
Lilard (5), Latham, Lord (3), Laws (12), Lewis, Mrs. 
M. C. Lenoir, Mary Hogg, Leonard, Jackson (7), Mc- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 365 

Spadden, McGuffey, McFalls, McMinii, McGuire, Moon, 
Martin (9), McNabb, Maberry, Miller (9), Moore, Mont- 
gomery, Moffett, May, Nichols, Nelson, Pilaris, Purdy 
(5) Philpot, Pennington (10), Potter (6), Ragon 
(13), Ruth (14), Reed, Re^aiolds, Plemmons, Stephens 
(6), Snead (5), Selvage "(5), Shelton, Stone, Scott, 
Snow, Stansbury, Turner, Taliaferro, Taylor, Tewell, 
Van, Wallens (3), Watkins (3), Walker (5), Wilson 
(7), Winters, Yoakum (5), Young. Of these 700 
members about 15 were colored. Of these there were 
both put together only thirty-four non-fellowships and 
exclusions, in the first fifty years the church had an 
existence. Most of these were for the charges of 
drunkenness, profanity, fighting, dishonesty, gambling, 
non-attendance and communing with other sects or 
"societies." This would be, rating the average mem- 
bership at 150, less than one-half of one per cent, of 
exclusions per year. 

During the time specified 1820-1872 the moderators 
elected by the church have been 0. Patty, James Sewell, 
Eli Cleveland, Robt. Snead and S. J. Martin; the pas- 
tors, E. Cleveland, R. Snead, I. B. Kimbrough, J. P. 
Kefauver, D. M. Breaker; the clerks, Moses McSpad- 
den, Samuel Jameson, Wm. Johnson, John Pennington, 
Norris C. Hood, R. Snead, Wm. Lillard, W. E. Johnson, 
W. E. Jordan, F. K. Berry; the deacons, Saml. Jame- 
son, John Fine, R. Snead, W H. Montgomery, D. Ragon, 
Nelson Miller, Jesse F. Jones, F. M. Pennington, W. E. 
Johnson and Jos. Ragon. 

Political Discussions in Church an Injury to It. 

One reason for the great prosperity and increase in 
membership of this church from 1865 to 1870 was that 
no member was permitted to discuss the war or political 
parties inside of the church house during the Civil 
War or directly thereafter. This made it possible for 
all who attended church to meet on terms of amity and 
equality. During the sixties various Baptist churches 
in East Tennessee were rent and torn asunder so that 
it took years to recover. 

Members were sometimes excluded merely for the 
part they took in the w^ar. The discussion of state and 



366 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAJJLEY 

national questions, which divide political parties, from 
the pulpit or in church meetings, nearly always is an 
injury to the church and rarely makes the political par- 
ties an^^ better. In this particular church during the 
Civil War they prayed in public neither for the success 
of the armies of the Union or the Southern Confederacy 
whatever they may have done in private. True they 
prayed that the war should end and brother cease to 
shed the blood of brother. 

There were members of this church who had sons on 
different sides of the struggle and it was generally un- 
derstood, and the rule was observed, that the right and 
wrong of the war, slavery or secession were not to be 
discussed in and around the church. Hence when the 
troops disbanded and came home there was little to 
apologize for or take back and all met on a friendly 
footing. 

) The greatest number of accessions to this church in 
one year was in 1866 under the pastorate of Elder I. B. 
Kimbrough. So far as I am aware, no one knew on 
which side he stood during the Civil War. When asked 
the question he would reply that he was a preacher of 
the Gospel and not a politician or fighter. Yet he was 
a fearless man, none more so. 

One Sunday he had an appointment, not at Sweet- 
water Church but a considerable distance from there. 
Some of the tough element in the neighborhood had 
threatened him. On that Sunday he arose in the pulpit 
and coolly remarked : ' ' I am told on good authority that 
I am not going to be allowed to preach here today. I have 
had many appointments in the years that I have been 
preaching and have always filled them. By the help of 
God and these (here he placed a couple of six shooters 
on the pulpit before him) I expect to fill this one, you 
can listen or not just as you see fit." He was not in- 
terrupted during the sermon nor afterward. 

He was pastor of the church on Sweetwater during 
the year 1866. On the last days of October that year 
there was a protracted meeting and a great revival. 
There were sixty-seven accessions to the church, fifty- 
six of them by experience and baptism. Some of those 
joining had fought on different sides during the Civil 
War, and some of them were approaching middle age. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 367 

It was told in the country around that there was to be 
such a baptising as had never been known in this sec- 
tion before. A great concourse of people gathered 
there; they came from up and down the valley, from 
Pond Creek, Piney and the Flatwoods. 

The day turned out to be very raw and chilly. Many 
doubters confidently asserted that few would have the 
nerve to be immersed under the circumstances. But 
all were there to a man and to a woman. Not one of 
the fifty-six held back or failed to stand the trying or- 
deal. The rite was performed in the creek not far from 
the church, when old soldiers who had fought each other 
valiantly in battle joined hands and marched into the 
water singing "Blest be the tie that binds our hearts 
in Christian love. ' ' To me the ceremony was exceeding- 
ly impressive. Yet some were inclined to be sorry for 
them or sneer, "Poor thing, she will catch her death 
of cold, look how she shivers." ''How foolish to risk 
their health in such a manner, thinking God w^ill take 
care of them." "I'll bet that old fellow don't like a 
rebel any better than he did before." "Tliere's one 
they ought to hold under till he blubbers, 'taint the first 
time he's been dipped." These were mostly asides on 
the outskirts of the crowd and not really intended to 
interrupt the proceedings; yet I thought from how 
many points the same can be looked at. Take an ex- 
ample : 

Jumbo was the largest elephant ever in capitivity. 
Notwithstanding his size (he was about twelve feet tall 
at his shoulders) ; he was docile and affectionate in dis- 
position. He and the baby elephant were almost con- 
stant companions and Jumbo felt himself responsible 
for his welfare and safety. On one occasion a train of 
Barnum & Bailey's circus was wrecked. Jumbo owing 
to his great strength soon extricated himself from the 
wreckage and could have got safely away. Just then he 
heard the trumpeting of the baby elephant which was 
almost paralyzed by fright. He turned, caught and 
threw the baby elephant from the track but was himself 
somehow caught in the debris and crippled so he had to 
be killed. This was what an elephant did. The owners 
had the skin stuffed and placed on a wheeled platform. 
On the circus tour in the grand entry Jumbo looking 



368 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

quite lifelike was drawn around the ring by four 
elephants making stately strides while the band played 
the funeral march of Chopin. The baby elephant whose 
life he had saved toddled along behind. This made some 
laugh, as that is what they went there for, but most of 
the 15,000 people present appreciated the solemnity of 
the scene. As for myself I would have not have com- 
plained if that had been all I saw for the price of ad- 
mission. 

The Sweetwater church for many years owned a lot 
in Philadelphia, donated to them by Robt. Cleveland. 
On Saturday before the fourth Sunday in June, 
1872, the Sweetwater church relinquished its title to 
the church in Philadelphia. Previous to this on Sat- 
urday before the fourth Sunday in May of that year 
.letters of dismission were granted the following mem- 
bers in order to constitute a church at Philadelphia: 

J. J. and Tabitha Swanner, H. H. Porter, Anderson 
and Phoebe Burns, Lavenia and Sanford Burns, C. F. 
and Mary Thompson, Cornelia Porter, B. F. Stansbury, 
Elizabeth Edwards, D. D., and Susan Kelly, Joseph 
Purdy, D. E. and Elizabeth Kelly, Lilah and Josephine 
Miller. 

So the church on Sweetwater is remarkable both on 
account of its own membership, and as being the mother 
of several other prosperous churches. 



The Baptist Church on Pond Creek and Its Succes- 
sor, THE First Baptist Church at Sweetwater. 

On the 20th of November, 1824, there met at John 
Howell's in McMinn County, the following brethren and 
sisters: John and Millie Hancock, Thomas and Rufus 
Walden, James McClure, Barclay McClure, Wm. F. 
Briant, Wm. Jones, Jane Jones. They proceeded to 
organize a Baptist church and enunciated a declaration 
of faith and rules of decorum, not essentially diiferent 
from the Baptist Church on Sweetwater. Wm. F. Bri- 
ant was elected clerk. 

Some time afterward a small church and a shed for 
camp meeting purposes was built near where J. N. 
Heiskell now lives on Pond Creek; I do not know the 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 369 

date of erection of either but it must have been some 
time in the later twenties. 

The church was reasonably prosperous. In October, 
1827, it had fifty-seven members. 

Samuel Jamieson was. clerk from 1827 to 1830. Wm. 
F. Briant w^as clerk to March, 1833. William Harral- 
son from 1833 to 1838. James A. Small from 1838 to 
1842, and then Thomas Dean until March, 1845. E. A. 
Taylor until 1860. Elder William Jones was pastor 
from 1831 to 1833. Elder R. H. Taliaferro from 1833 
until March, 1841, when Elder Robert Snead was elected 
pastor. He was pastor until 1857. 

This church was missionary in faith. It was recorded 
in the minutes that on the first Saturday in January, 
1837, Wm. F. Briant and eight others, had left Pond 
Creek church, they say, ''on account of the Missionary 
Bible Society and contributions to foreign missions"; 
therefore the church considered them "not of us" and 
their names were erased from the church book. 

On the first Saturday in December, 1844, some half 
dozen members were excluded for joining, w^hat they 
denominated, the Christian Church, often termed the 
Campbellites. For these causes, and the unsuitability of 
the church building and the inconvenience to the mem- 
bers to attend at that place on the first Saturday in 
June, 1854, it was decided to endeavor to build a house 
of worship at the town of Sweetw^ater. In July, 1854, 
the church appointed brethren R. Snead, John Fine, Ma- 
jor Wallis, J. S. Taylor and E. A. Ta3dor, to control the 
fund for the building of the meeting house there. From 
that time until January, 1857, there was little business 
transacted at the Pond Creek Church and few members 
received. This was the last meeting at the Pond Creek 
church house. 

The First Baptist Church at Sweetwater. 

I. T. Lenoir promised to donate a lot at the corner 
of the Athens road and Monroe Street for the location 
of a Baptist church to be the successor of the Pond 
Creek Baptist Church. Taking him at his word the com- 
mittee appointed by Pond Creek Baptist Church pro- 
ceeded to procure funds and erect a building thereon. 



370 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAIiLEY 

Tliis building was not ready for occupation or holding 
meetings until August, 1860. At that time Mary Car- 
oline Lenoir, Esther E. Yearwood, Elizabeth Cleveland, 
Elizabeth Bailey, James J. and Mary E. Sheldon, were 
received by letter, and W. B. Lenoir by experience. 

On the first Saturday in December, 1860 there joined 
the church by experience and baptism : John A. Rowan, 
Tliomas D. Taylor, Isaac and James Murray, Martha 
L. and Mary E. Taylor, Nancy Fine, Mary Rowan, John 
H. and Caroline Johnson, and by enrollment Mrs. Mary 
Rowan. W. H. Taylor was appointed clerk, and Elder 
Robert Snead w^as moderator. These continued in their 
offices during 1861 and 1862. The first pastor of the 
church elected in January, 1861, was H. W. Taylor, of 
Deep Spring, Grainger County, Tenn. 

In August, 1861, there were received by letter, Elder 
W. A. Nelson and sister, M. M. Nelson. 

The last church meeting held during the Civil War, 
was in August, 1862. From that until the summer of 
1865 the church was occupied and used by the soldiers 
of one army or the other. Union or Confederate, for hos- 
pital and other purposes, so that church meetings could 
not be held. The first recorded church meeting after 
that was in August, 1865, when W. A. Nelson was mod- 
erator and E. A. Taylor, church clerk. Federal troops 
again occupied the church in latter part of 1865. There 
is no recorded meeting until the first Saturday in July, 
1866. Then J. J. Sheldon was elected clerk and R. 
Snead, moderator. J. J. Sheldon continued in office 
and acted as clerk on the first Saturdav in January, 
1868. He died on January 18, 1868. 

Up to the first Saturday in April, 1868, Elder R. 
Snead usually preached for the church although not a 
regular pastor; then brother J. F. Kefauver was called 
to the pastorate, and was pastor until May, 1870. The 
pastors of the church, from that time until 1889 were 
as follows: J. B. Lee, 1870— February, 1873; C. L. 
Bowling, August, 1875 — July, 1876 ; T. A. Higdon, July, 
1876— June, 1877; J. L. Lloyd, December, 1877— Decem- 
ber, 1878; W. C. Grace, April, 1879— December, 1882; 
D. M. McReynolds, November, 1883— April, 1889. 

The following were clerks from the death of J. J. 
Sheldon : E. A. Taylor, January, 1868 — January, 1876 ; 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 371 

W. B. Lenoir, February, 1876— April, 1881; John N. 
Janeway, November, 1881 — July, 1887 ; Thomas M. Sam- 
ple, October, 1887— September, 1888; W. Morriss, Oc- 
tober, 1888— April, 1889. 

After the death of I. T. Lenoir, in December, 1875. 
it was discussed by the deacons of the church and 
others, whether he had made a deed to the lot occupied 
by the Baptist church, to the deacons of the church and 
their successors, and if such deed had been recorded, 
if such deed was in existence. There was no record of 
such deed and if it had been made it was not to be found. 
It w^as especially important as there was some talk of 
building a parsonage on the lot and they wished a clear 
title to it for church purposes. Tlierefore in the year 
W. B. Lenoir, the heir-at-law of I. T. Lenoir, con- 
veyed to the deacons of the church and their successors 
the lot which the members of the Baptist church claimed 
they were entitled to, specifying in the deed that it 
should not be sold and should be used only for church 
purposes. As the membership of this church was small 
and few of them were in an^'thing but moderate circum- 
stances when it w^as decided to build the parsonage, sub- 
scriptions were solicited by E. A. Taylor and others, to 
help us to build the parsonage. The subscriptions were 
liberal and came in from various sources and places. 
Among other subscriptions w^ere $39.25 from the Baptist 
church at Madisonville, $35.00 from the First Baptist 
Church at Knoxville, $30.45 from the East Tennessee 
Baptist Association and $5.00 from the Brownsville 
Church in West Tennessee. Thus a very neat and com- 
modious parsonage was built at a cost of about $900. 
This building was commenced on the 23rd of August, 
1880; the house was occupied the 22nd day of January, 
1881, probably by the Rev. W. C. Grace, who was pas- 
tor of the church at that time. 

In the church decided that they would build a 

new church building as the old one w^as not convenient 
or commodious. They wished to sell the old property 
for what they could get for it but they were debarred 
from doing so by the provisions of the deed from W. B. 
Lenoir. The committee from the church solicited him 
to make a deed to the church without any reservation. 
He was loath to do so fearing that the same thing might 



372 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAULiEY 

happen as happened in the case of the Baptist Sem- 
inary; that they might lose the new church property by 
mortgages or mechanic's liens. But after much so- 
licitation and promises, on the part of the church peo- 
ple that they would not attempt to build a church to 
cost more than they had valid subscriptions for and 

they could pay for, he consented. Therefore on 

he conveyed to trustees the old church 



and parsonage property by warranty deed. This helped 
considerably in the building of the new church which 
is a credit to the membership and an ornament to the 
town. This is the most expensive and modern in its 
appointments of any church building in Sweetwater. 

Methodist Episcopal. Church, South, 

Was the second church of any denomination built in 
Sweetwater. On the 15th' of June, 1858, I. T. Lenoir 
conveyed to the stewards of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, South, the following described property; Be- 
ginning at the corner of Monroe and High streets, 
thence westwardly witli Monroe Street 250 feet to 

Street, thence at a right angle to Monroe 

Street to Henry Mayes' line, thence eastwardly with 
Wright Street to High Street, thence with High. Street 
180 feet to the beginning, containing about one acre. 
The consideration expressed was $100 dollars. This 
was never paid but was merely named that the church 
might have a clear deed to the property. There was no 
alley there then as there is now, and the location was 
considered ample for the building of both church and 
parsonage. 

The first pastor in charge was the Rev. Kelly. In 
1861 the Rev. J. W. Bowman was P. C. In 1862 James 
Atkin was P. E., and again in 1866. J. H. Brunner, P. 
E. in 1867-69; R. M. Hickey 1868-69; C. Long 1869-73. 

In the year , owing to the growing need of the 

church, it was decided to sell the old church building 
and site and erect a new l)uilding on some other loca- 
tion. Half of the original lot conveyed by I. T. Lenoir, 
to the stewards of the church had already been sold 
to help pay for repairs to church damaged during the 
Civil War and purchase a parsonage for the church. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 373 

A lot for parsonage was bought, located just across the 
street from the Methodist church. This was afterwards 
sold, along with the church lot and building as part of a 
building fund for a new church. As the church had ac- 
quired a title to the Victoria College, formerly the Ma- 
sonic Lodge building, it was determined to build a 
church there. J. W. Clark was chairman of the build- 
ing committee. He spent much of his time and money 
in the erection and construction of the same. He and 
J. K. Brown were the largest contributors. I have no 
schedule showing who were the subscribers to the build- 
ing fund, but I am satisfied the above statement is true. 
The new church building was completed in the year 
1892 and the parsonage a little later. I have not access 
to the reports of the building committee, therefore do 
not wish to make an estimate of its cost, i)ut it was con- 
sidered the most costly church building and parsonage, 
up to that time, in the town. It would take up too much 
space to give the late history and statistics of this or 
any other church in Sweetwater. 

The PEESBYTERiAisr Church at Sweetwater. 

On the 12tli of January, 1861, I. T. Lenoir conveyed 
to J. H. Patton and F. Bogart, trustees for the Presby- 
terian church, a lot in the town of Sweetwater, opposite 
to where the Eagle Flouring Mill now stands and on 
a part of which is now a planing mill, near the Mad- 
isonville road : fronting on Walnut Street 190 feet and 
running back 110 feet to an alley, thence with that al- 
ley to the street on the Heiskell line, thence with that 
street to Walnut. This is not the deed description but 
merely for purposes of identification. It was the inten- 
tion of I. T. Lenoir to donate the lot with the provision 
that it was to be used for church purposes. However, 
the elders and members of the church thought better 
to pay for the lot, so that if they wanted to sell it, at 
any time, and locate the church elsewhere, they could 
do so. 

Tliis church was built by the new school branch of 
the Presbyterian church, and the people building it were 
members of the Presbyterian church at Philadelphia, 
Tenn. The largest contributors were John Ramsey, 



374 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Charles Owen, Alex. Biggs and William Patton. The 
building was commenced in 1857 and it was finished in 
the latter part of 1858 or the early part of 1859. This 
church was used by the Union Sunday-school until 1872, 
at which time the Methodist and Baptist churches es- 
tablished Sunday-schools of their own. From the time 
the Union Sunday-school began its meetings in the 
Presbyterian church John Ramsey was superintendent, 
to the time of his death in 1872. 

The first pastor after the church was organized was 
the Rev. Thomas Brown, of Philadelphia, Tenn. The 
elders were Jno. Ramsey and Charles Owen. The Rev. 
Thomas BroA\m was pastor from its organization to some 
time in 1860 w^hen the Rev. Thomas Bradshaw succeeded 
him. During 1863 and 1864 the Rev. Wm. Brown, of 
Cleveland, Tenn., preached for the church. These data 
were gotten from Mrs. Martha Waren. 

If there are any session books extant as to the early 
organization of the church, I have not discovered where 
they were. From October, 1866 to the present, 1916, the 
history of the church is clearly set forth in the minutes 
of the session. 

Up to October, 1866, there were two separate congre- 
gations in Sweetwater and the surrounding country, 
the old and the new school. The old school had held 
their meetings in the old Cumberland Presbyterian 
Church. At that date the members of the new school, 
and some- members of the old school church, met as a 
congregation, and took a vote as to whether they should 
join the old school or new school branch of the church. 
They decided to unite and join the new school. Of this 
meei^ing George A. Caldwell was moderator and the 
elders were James Montgomery, Jno. Ramsey, E. E. 
Johnston and R. A. Ramsey, who was elected clerk of the 
meeting. 

At a congregational meeting of the church on March 
17, 1867, Jno. Ramsey, formerly an elder in the new 
school church, and R. A. Ramsey, formerly an elder in 
the old school, were unanimously elected elders. James 
Montgomery asked to be excused on account of age and 
infirmity. J. H. Patton, S. Y. B. Williams, W. L. Ram- 
sey and Frank Bogart were elected elders. From that 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 375 

time for twenty years J. H. Patton was clerk of the ses- 
sion. 

The Rev. W. W. Morrison from March, 1867 until No- 
vember, 1872, preached twice a month for the chnrch. 
The Rev. James Wallace was pastor from November, 
1872, until May, 1889. From that time to January, 1891, 
there was no regular supply. On the last date the Rev. 
E. C. Trimble began to preach for the church. He, with 
his family, took possession of the parsonage, next to 
the new church on the 12th of February, 1891. He left 
Sweetwater on October 3, 1892. The Rev. J. L. Bach- 
man then supplied the pulpit for six months, and he was 
continued as supply until he was elected pastor. This 
position he has held up to the present, 1916. 

The New Presbyterian Church. 

In the latter part of 1885 the building of a new" Pres- 
byterian church began to be agitated. The principal 
reasons for the building of the new" church were that the 
majority of the members in town lived on the w^est side 
of the railroad and owing to the number of trains on 
the railroad it was inconvenient to get to it and danger- 
ous for children, and that the church was antiquated 
and uncomfortable and not suited to the growing mem- 
bership. Therefore on February 22, 1886, at the session 
of the church, the board of deacons w^ere directed to 
canvass the congregation to ascertain w^hat sum could 
be obtained for that purpose. In May, 1886, the deacons 
reported that a sufficient amount had been subscribed 
for the building of the church, to cost $6,000 or more. 
In June, 1886, an executive committee, consisting of 
Jno. M. Jones, chairman, J. H. Patton, James A. Wal- 
lace, F. Bogart and A. R. Melendy were appointed. They 
were to select a location and superintend the building 
of the church. A lot was purchased from Mrs. Ada 
Mayes, and dirt was broken on the present site in July, 
1887. Bina Young was the contractor for the building 
of the church. In the church minutes, page 191, we find 
the following: June 2, 1888. The executive commit- 
tee appointed June 16, 1887, to sell the old church house 
and build a new one, having performed that duty, called 
for a congregational meeting on this day, Avhich was 



376 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAUxEY 

held in the new church house at 8 o'clock at night, ac- 
cording to pre\dous arrangements and notice, at which 
time the following programme was observed: 

1. Long metre Doxology, "Praise God from whom all blessings 
flow." 

2. Invocation, by the pastor, Rev. James A. Wallace. 

3. Treasurer's Report. Jno. M. Jones. 

4. Tender of the church to congregation, with deed and keys, by A. 
R, Melendy. 

5. Reception of the church, for congregation, by Elder J. F. Owen. 

6. Reply of congregation to committee, by Rev. J. L. Bachman. 
Reading Scriptures, Rev. Dugald Munroe. 

Prayer, Rev. T. H. McCallie. 

Singing 100th Psalm by the congregation. 

Opening and First Sermon by Rev. J. A, Wallace, from Text 1 
Timothy 3:5, "The Church of God." 

Prayer, Rev. Geo. F. Robertson, 

Singing by choir and congregation, Hymn 567, "Dear Shepherd of 
chy people hear." 

Benediction, by Rev. James A. Wallace, Pastor. 

June 3, Sabbath, 10:30 o'clock A. M. 

Anthem, by choir. 

Invocation, Rev. T. H. McCallie, D. D. 

Singing 137th Psalm, 2nd part, "I love thy kingdom Lord." 

Reading Scripture, Rev. J. L. Bachman. 

Prayer, Rev. Dugald Munroe. 

Hymn, 119, "All hail the power of Jesus' name." 

Dedicatory Sermon, Rev. T. H. McCallie, from Text Matthew, 6:10, 
"Thy Kingdom come." 

Dedicatory Hymn, number 568, "Here in Thy name, eternal God." 

Benediction by the Rev. T. H. McCallie. 

At a session of the elders at the Bank of Sweetwater, 
John M. Jones, chairman of the building committee, 
made a final report of subscriptions collected, the sum- 
mary of which is as follows: Subscriptions paid, $6,- 
167.85. Amount paid Bina Young, contractor, for bare 
church building, $5,138.50. Cost of lot, purchased from 
Mrs. Ada Mayes, grading, pavement, furnace and some 
other expenses, $1,029.35. 

This does not include the cost of fresco decorations 
and other expenses inside the church. The whole cost 
of the church was about $8,000.00. Of this amount the 
Misses Coffin and Mr. Jno. H. and Mrs. Inman, nee 
Margaret Coffin, contributed about $4,000.00. In addi- 
tion to this amount and not included therein, the parson- 
age was built at a cost of $2,100. To the fund for the 
building of the parsonage the Misses Coffin were far 
the largest contributors. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 377 

THE UNION INSTITUTE BUILDING. 

The public schoolhouse, one-half mile southwest of Sweetwater 
Depot, has been several times referred to in this history. In that 
only summer schools could be taught wittL comfort, and then the 
larger students had to study out of doors. Public schools were all 
mixed schools, namely, for both males and females, and tkere seemed 
to be a public sentiment here during the fifties a growing against 
them. A new building for a schoolhouse, therefore, became a neces- 
sity. 

In 1857 various citizens of Sweetwater and surrounding country 
met and decided to build a schoolhouse at or near the town. A 
stock company was formed, with twenty dollars for each share, upon 
which shares each stockholder was entitled to vote in the election 
of trustees according to the number of shares he held. On the 14th 
of October, 1857, E. A. Taylor, I. T. Lenoir and S. J. Rowan were 
elected trustees. They purchased lot No. 126 in the town of Sweet- 
water and erected a school building thereon, costing about $1,500.00. 
Lot 126 was bounded by High, Walnut, Church and Wright Streets. 

The lower story of the building was used as a school for males 
and the upper for females. Mrs. H. M. Cooke was employed by the 
trustees to teach the females, and Professor Gabriel Ragsdale the 
males. Ho was not a moral suasionist, but believed in a liberal appli- 
cation of the rod. This was in 1858-59. 

George Lacon Leybtjrn 

Was born May 21, 1839, in old Laconia, in the extreme southern part 
of Greece; hence the name Lacon. His father, a distinguished Pres- 
byterian minister, was missionary to Greece at the time. He took 
the degree of A. B. at Washington College, afterward Washington and 
Lee University, Lexington, Va., in the class of 1858. Though only 
nineteen years of age he was first honor man in his class. He was 
especially proficient in Greek. He was the first college graduate to 
teach in the First Civil District of Monroe County. He taught at the 
Union Institute in the years 1859-60. He then resigned, contrary to the 
wishes and solicitations of the trustees, to take a theological course. 
Before completing his ministerial education he joined the Confederate 
army. He was first lieutenant of Company A, Thirty-fourth Virginia 
Infantry, Wise's Brigade. He served four years. After the war he 
was pastor of Presbyterian churches as follows: Winchester, Va., 
1867-75; missionary to Greece three years; his father died there in 
August, 1875; pastor Lexington, Mo., 1878-88; Booneville, Mo., 1889-96; 
Newbern, N. C, 1896-1900; four years Superintendent of Home Missions 
for Synod of Missouri; pastor Lexington, N. C, 1904-08; in Novem- 
ber, 1908, after an operation for appendicitis resigned pastorate and 
went to California. Father of four children, all married; one daugh- 
ter and three sons. 

The next teacher of males in Union Institute was Oscar W. Muller. 
He was born in Prussia on September 9, 1834. He came to this coun- 
try in 1846. He was a graduate of Hiwassee College in the class of 
1859. He taught in Union Institute, 1860-61. He then enlisted in 
Confederate States army as first sergeant in Company C (Captain W. L. 
Clark'sj Second Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry. He married Miss 
Eliza A. Clark on July 27, 1869. Like the true Prussian he was a 
great believer in efficiency. He is a farmer and surveyor and resides 
near Hiwassee College (1916), He was the last male teacher in the 
Union Institute until the close of the Civil War. 



378 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

Th,e next teacher was John W. Robertson, formerly of Meigs County. 
He was also a student of Hiwassee College and a college mate of 
W. T. Lenoir. He served in the Confederate army. He taught in 
the Union Institute in 1866-G7. He moved to Texas in 1867, obtaining 
his demit from Sweetwater Lodge, No. 292, F. and A. M., on August 
27th in that year. He became quite a prominent lawyer in that 
State. 

Following J. W. Robertson was Rev. W. H. Crawford. He was 
born near Limestone, in Greene County, on March 4, 1822. He was 
educated at Doak — now Tusculum — College in Greene County. He was 
ordained a minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian church by East 
Tennessee Presbytery. He affiliated with Sweetwater Masonic Lodge 
in December, 1870. He was teacher and was pastor of the Cumber- 
land Presbyterian church, at the same time, is my remembrance. He 
went from here to Kingston. He had a family. Hon. W. L. Welcker, 
of Knoxville, married a daughter of his. 

Following Rev. W. H. Crawford, Professor R. H. Ramsay became 
the teacher. He came from Milledgeville, Ga., or somewhere near there 
to Madisonville, Tenn., in 186.5. He taught there as principal in 
Bolivar Academy for several years. He was a very brilliant man 
and made quite a reputation as an educator. I never knew a man 
who was more conversant with the best books in English literature. 
In mental aberration or melancholia, due to drink, h.e threw himself 
from the county bridge over the Tennessee River at Chattanooga. He 
was dead when reached. He was buried at Sweetwater. This was 
in the fall of 1890. He was on his way to Mississippi to take charge 
of a school. He had taught there the year previous. 

In November, 1871, the stockh,olders met and decided to sell the 
property, to be used for school purposes. As matters were, it was 
the understanding that the building was to be used for school pur- 
poses; legally it was owned by a stock company, and could be used 
for any purpose. It was agreed that the first thirteen who sub- 
scribed fifty dollars each should be directors of the institution. They 
were: J. W. Clark, T. G. Boyd, Isaac Benson, W. B. Lenoir, James 
M. Browder, Thomas Yearwood, Matt Carter, R. F. Scruggs, N. I. 
Mayes, J. E. Ramsey and J. H. Patton. In order that th.is whole 
amount, $650.00, should be used for the fitting up and repairing the 
building and not go into the pockets of stockholders of the Union 
Institute, the following stock was donated to the new directorate 
T. Yearwood, 4 shares; T. G. Boyd, 2; F. Bogart, 3; Charles Owen, 2 
D. Heiskell, 16; R. Snead, 5; H. B. Yearwood, 4; J. W. Goddard, 6 
Mrs. M. A. Reagan, 15; I. T. Lenoir, 35. 

From the fall of 1874 till the summer of 1884, J. L. Bachman. 
D. D., taught in the Union Institute. Then a charter was obtained 
for Sweetwater College. It was decided to build a larger school- 
house elsewhere, to sell the Union Institute building and lot and apply 
the proceeds to Sweetwater College. This was located in the north- 
west part of the town. The sale was at auction to the highest bidder 
on the 2nd of October, 1885, and W. B. Lenoir became th.e purchaser. 

Soon afterward Dr. S. B. Cook bought a half interest in the prop- 
erty, and he and W. B. Lenoir fitted out the lower story as a theatre, 
auditorium and music room. In 1886 Dr. Cook sold his interest to 
W. B. Lenoir, who made extensive improvements on the grounds and 
building. 

'On December 26, 1887, W. B. Lenoir conveyed this property to 
W. H. H. Ragon, John S. Young and nine others of Monroe County, 
and J. F. Christian, of Meigs Company, J. P. Parker, of James County; 
C. C. Samuel, of Bradley County, as trustees, the property "to be 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 379 

used for females of the white race under control of the Baptist de- 
nomination of the State of Tennessee. 

The building on lot 126 was used from 1886 till ISas by these trus- 
tees and their successors for the purposes expressed in the deed. In 
the meantime during these years, '86-98, the trustees solicited and 
obtained large subscriptions, amounting to $12,000 to $15,000. They 
built a large addition to the old building, and in this a school wats 
run for females under charge of J. H. Richardson and wife. They 
also purchased the lot 127 in the plan of the town of Sweetwater, and 
got permission from the board of mayor and aldermen of the cor- 
poration to close up the street between. 

On the 30th of September, 1898, W. C. Grace, president; D. L. 
Smith, secretary; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer; James May, W. H. Smith, 
T. R. Wagner, Joseph Janeway and E. A. Taylor, of the Board of 
Trustees of the Baptist Seminary, conveyed to the Trustees of Sweet- 
water College, consisting of F. A. Carter, D. C. Young, John L. Brown, 
D. L. Smith, A. B. Scruggs, Harry Heiskell, G. A. McLin and others 
mentioned (Reg. Bk., No. 5, pp. 57-60), conveying hb Trusteesi, 
"not otherwise," lots Nos. 126 and 127: Beginning at the corner of 
Wright and Church Streets, thence with Church Street to Morris 
Street; thence with Morris to High Street; thence with High to 
Wright Street; thence with Wright Street to beginning. The reasons 
given in the deed mentioned for sale of the property are as follows: 

"Whereas, we, the Trustees of Sweetwater Seminary, in an honest 
endeavor to build good buildings for said Sweetwater Seminary and 
attach good grounds to the same and to run and establish a good 
school in the same and the purposes of the people who have sub- 
scribed and paid same to us and for the Baptist denomination; and, 
whereas, the Seminary has become involved in a debt of about twenty 
thousand dollars and said Baptist denomination and the people of 
the country have failed to pay said debt, and the Trustees have had 
to borrow the money and pay off many of these debts; and, whereas, 
some eight or nine thousand dollars of said indebtedness is still due 
and owing, and some of us Trustees are personally involved for same 
and have now an offer of ten thousand dollars for the building and 
grounds, which comes from the Trustees of Sweetwater College for 
the purpose of still using the building and ground for school pur- 
poses, we have, therefore, accepted said offer of ten thousand dollars 
rather than force said Seminary and grounds to sale, in order to 
retain it to the town, community and people for educational pur- 
poses; therefore," then follows description, etc. 

From 1898 until 1902 school was taught there by J. L. Bachman, 
D. D., and others. It was taught in the name of Sweetwater College. 

From 1902 to and including part of 1909, Colonel 0. C. Hulvey ran 
a military school in the building. It was called the Tennessee Mili- 
tary Institute (T. M. I.). In that year, 1909, a very large building 
was erected one mile north of Sweetwater Depot. Colonal O. C. Hulvey 
moved to this and continued his school under the name of Tennessee 
Military Institute. 

Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Rowland ran a female school in the Union 
Institute. Mr. Rowland died in 1910, and it was run two more years 
under the charge of Mrs. E. M. Rowland. 

Then from 1913-1916 school for females was taught in the building, 
with W. S. Woodward as principal. This school was under charge 
of Carson and Newman College of Jefferson City, Tenn. 

A public high school is now (1916) taught in the Union Institute, 
which is under the charge of Professor R. M. Ivins. 



380 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALiLEY 

Sweetwater Lodge 292, F. and A. M. 

On November 3, 1860, a dispensation was granted by 
the Grand Lodge of Tennessee, to constitute a lodge at 
Sweetwater to the following named brethren, mostly if 
not entirely members of the Tellico Lodge No. 80: 

William B. Sample, S. Y. B. Williams, James A. 
Wright, J. C. Starrett, A. A. Humphreys, J. A. Rowan, 
H. B. Yearwood, R. F. Scruggs, I. T. Lenoir, William 
H. Taylor. 

The said brethren were constituted into a regular 
lodge. No. 292 F. & A. M. The proceedings of this lodge 
are not known until the date given below for the reasons 
hereafter stated. At a meeting of the lodge on Decem- 
ber 25, 1863, it was recited as follows: ''Upon examina- 
tion it was found that the record book, ledger and pa- 
pers containing lodge matter were all gone. * * * The 
hall having been broken open by Federal soldiers." 
W. H. Taylor was W. M. at this meeting. The lodge 
met in the second-story of the Taylor building, then oc- 
cupied by S. Y. B. Williams, afterwards the J. E. Wil- 
liams building. At an election of officers held the fol- 
lowing were named : W. B. Sample, W. M. ; J. M. Sam- 
ple, S. W. ; F. B. Carter, J. W. ; S. Y. B. Williams, treas- 
urer; S. P. Haynes, tyler; J. H. Patton, secretary. 

" These officers served until December 22, 1865. The 
succeeding officers and their years of service are as 
follows : 

1869— W. L. Clark, W. M.; N. P. Eight, S. W.; T. G. 
Bo3^d, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer; J. H. Patton, 
secretary; J. W. Goddard, tyler. 

1870— W. L. Clark, W. M.'; N. P. Hight, S. W.; T. G. 
Boyd, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer; J. H. Patton, 
secretary; A. M. Dobbins, tyler. 

1871— W. L. Clark, W. M.; L. Forkner, S. W.; N. L 
Mayes, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer; J. H. Patton, 
secretary; A. M. Dobbins, tvler. 

1872— T. G. Boyd, W. M."; J. H. Pickel, S. W.; H. L. 
Fry, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer; J. H. Patton, sec- 
retarv; A. H. Murray, tvler. 

1873— W. L. Clark, W. M. ; A. A. Humphreys, S. W. ; 
W. B. Lenoir, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer; J. H. 
Patton, secretary; A. M. Dobbins, tyler. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 381 

1874— N. P. Higlit, W. M. ; A. A. Humphreys, S. W. ; 
Jo. W. Robertson, J. W. ; B. F. Scruggs, treasurer; J. 
H. Patton, secretary; A. M. Dobbins, tyler. 

1876— W. L. Clark, W. M. ; A. A. Humphreys, S. W. ; 
Jo. W. Robertson, J. W. ; B. F. Scruggs, treasurer; J. 
H. Patton, secretary; C. Cannon, tyler. 

1877— J. H. Pickel, W. M. ; J. W. Robertson, S. W. ; 
J. H. Montgomery, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer; J. 
H. Patton, secretary; C. Cannon, tyler. 

1878— W. B. Sample, W. M. ; "W. L. Clark, S. W. ; W. 
B. Lenoir, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer; J. H. Pat- 
ton, secretary; C. Cannon, tyler. 

1879— J. L. McKinney, W. M.; W. L. Clark, S. W.; 
W. B. Lenoir, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer; J. H. 
Patton, secretary; C. Cannon, tyler. 

1880— J. W. Robertson, W. M. ; S. B. Cook, S. W. ; W. 
B. Lenoir, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer ; J. H. Pat- 
ton, secretary; C. Cannon, tyler. 

1881— J. W. Robertson, W. M. ; J. L. Bachman, S. W. ; 
W. B. Lenoir, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer ; J. H. Pat- 
ton, secretary; C. Cannon, tjlev. 

1882— Jo. W. Robertson, W. M.; J. L. Bachman, S. 
W. ; W. N. Lybarger, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer ; 
F. Bogart, secretary; C. Cannon, tyler. 

1883— Jo. W. Robertson, W. M. ; W. B. Lenoir, S. W. ; 
J. L. Bachman, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer ; F. Bo- 
gart, secretary; C. Cannon, tyler. 

1884— W. L. Clark, W. M. ; J. L. Bachman, S. W. ; J. 
H. Montgomery, J. W. ; R. F. Scruggs, treasurer ; Gr. F. 
Hicks, secretary; D. W. Butt, tyler. 

1885— S. B. Cook, W. M. ; J. S. Young, S. W. ; J. L 
Carter, J. W. ; B. F. Scruggs, treasurer; G. F. Hicks, 
secretary; C. Cannon, tyler. 

1886— S. B. Cook, W.'M.; G. F. Hicks, S. W.; Jno. B. 
Carter, J. W. ; R, F. Scruggs, treasurer ; R. W. Brown, 
secretary; C. Cannon, tyler. 

After the close of the war from 1865, until 1875, the 
lodge prospered exceedingly, and there were many ad- 
ditions to the membership. One reason for this was 
that it was conceded and believed that the Masonic fra- 
ternity had helped very much to mitigate the horrors of 
the Civil War. Favors were shown to brethren on the 
different sides. Federal and Confederate, and treatment 



382 HISTOBY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

given which would not have been extended to other than 
Masons. 

In July, 1868, the lodge decided to build a new hall 
instead of meeting in rented property. As a building 
conunittee there were appointed: R. F. Scruggs, I. T. 
Lenoir, J. H. Pickel, J. H. Patton and W. L. Clark. Be- 
sides the money in the treasury the members contrib- 
uted very liberally to the building of the new hall. A 
lot was purchased where the M. E. Church, South, and 
parsonage now stand, and a hall was erected at a cost 
of more than $5,000. 

The first meeting held in the new hall was on Fri- 
day, November 19, 1869. Tlie lower part of the build- 
ing was used as a school room. It was first rented to 
Mrs. Helen M. Cooke in 1870. 

In the year 1873 some of the brethren, especially those 
in the country, became dissatisfied with the location of 
the hall. There was no convenient hitching place for 
their horses nearer than the public square around the 
depot. A committee was appointed to report what could 
be done about a new and better location for a hall. In 
November, 1873, the committee reported that a third 
story on M. Carter's building, could be added at a cost 
of about $2,500; they therefore decided to sell the old 
property and accept Mr. Carter's offer. 

On November 28, 1873, the lodge passed a resolution 
to sell to the Methodists for $5,500, and donate $2,000, 
for purpose of establishing a female school of high' 
grade. This amount of $3,500 was subscribed mostly 
by the citizens of Sweetwater and country around, and 
to which fund many, not Methodists, subscribed liberally. 
Therefore in pursuance of this resolution of the lodge, 
on February 2, 1874, a deed was made to certain trus- 
tees for a female high school, to be under the charge of 
the Athens District Conference. 

The first meeting of the Masonic Lodge in their new 
hall over the Carter building was on May 14, 1875. A 
deed to the hall in the third story of the building was 
made by Mat Carter to Lodge 292 F. & A. M. on Sep- 
tember 1, 1876. The Masons still (1916) hold their meet- 
ing there. 

At a meeting of the lodge April 14, 1871, by a unani- 
mous vote the lodge subscribed to the Masonic Homo 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 383 

Mission School $1,000. This sum was to be paid in an- 
nual installments of $100 each, the first installment to 
be due in November, 1873. 

From the names of those present at masonic meetings 
after the reorganization of the lodge we find that the 
following besides tlie charter members belonged to 
Lodge 292 previous to 1864, as they were mentioned 
afterw^ard as being present at lodge meetings and are 
not afterward among the affiliates or afterward made 
master Masons: 

S. B. Haines, J. M. Sample, F. B. Carter, D. P. Fork- 
ner, Thomas Forkner, M. T. Stanfield, John Forkner, 
W. A. Nelson, W. L. Clark, J. H. Patton, Thomas Up- 
ton, W. H. Cooke, Jno. W. Lotspeich, W. L. Price, J. 
G. Parshall, J. H. Taylor and Charles Cannon. 

List of affiliates and those made master Masons up 
to 1886 : T. C. Bellamy, 26 May '65 ; T. G. Boyd, 22 June 
'66', Frank Bogart, 6 August '65; T. J. Ballard, 12 Au- 
gust '65, died 12 July '69 ; L. F. Briant, 25 September 
'65; D. A. Browder, 22 September '65, died 6 April '83; 
W. L. Ballard, 9 March '69 ; T. L. Bro^vn, 20 August '69 ; 

M. K. Benson, -; J. L. Ballard, ; J. E. 

Bilderback, 25 September '65 ; T. K. Bradshaw, 23 June 
'65 ; J. M. Browder, 23 November '65 ; J. S. Burnett, 20 
October '66; J. A. Bilderback, 11 February '80; J. P. 
Brown, aff. (80) 8 July '70; N. C. Carter, 26 Jan- 
uary '66; dem. 10 March '76; Mat Carter, 17 April 
'67,^ died 28 April '85 ; J. A. Crowder, 26 August '67 ; 
W. J. Clayton, 26 June '79 ; M. B. Caldwell, 3 February 
'71; Wm. Cannon, 24 November '65; Robt. Carter, aff. 
(80) 22 March '67; W. H. Cooke, dem. to No. 134 
25 April '69; W. H. Crawford aff. December '70; L. L. 
Calloway, aff. 10 September '75; A. G. Garden, dem. 7 
January '76 ; A. M. Dobbins, 28 July '65 ; A. S. Dickey, 
; H. P. Dickey, 20 October '66, buried bv Ma- 
sons 28 July '70; A. J. Dickey, 22 September '69;''S. B. 
Cook, aff. 19 January '78; J. L. Bachman, 26 February 
'80; L. W. Brown, 21 May '80; D. W. Butt, 28 April 
'82; J. I. Carter, 9 May '84; G. M. Cline, aff. 21 August 
'85 ; R. W. Brown and J. B. Carter on 27 November '85 ; 
W. M. Edwards, 20 October '66 ; Lawrence Forkner, 27 
April '65, buried 1 September '81; Wm. Foote, 28 Oc- 
tober '65, exp. December '68; H. L. Fry, 10 November 



384 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

'68; Wm. Foster, 28 October '65; Thomas A. Forkner, 

25 July '85; J. G. Forkner, ; M. B. Goddard 

aff. (Athens) 25 May '66; J. W. Goddard aff. (Loudon), 
24 August '66; W. W. Grubb, aff. 11 October '72; W. C. 
Grace aff. (115), 29 August '79; Wm. Harrison, 8 De- 
cember '66; N. P. Hight aff. (Mo.), 23 November '66; 
A. A. Humphreys, reaff. 22 March '72 ; E. T. Hale, aff. 
30 January '74; dem. 12 October '77; Hicks G. F. aff. 
20 January '80; John H. Johnston, 23 June '65; Jos. 
Janeway, aff. (Loudon) 23 February '66; J. Harvey 
Johnston, 28 September '66; E. C. Jones, 23 February 
'66; Eli C. Jones, 13 May '70; John M. Jones, aff. 4 De- 
cember '81; J. F. Key, 25 May, '66; W. T. Lenoir, 25 
September '68; J. D. Low, 25 SeiDtember 65; W. T. Le- 
noir, 30 June '71; Noah Lybarger, 2 May '79; dem. 3 
February '82; S. J. Martin, 1 November '65; Martin G. 
W., 7 November '65, died 6 March '70; W. G. McKen- 

zie, dem. 4 Julv '73 ; A. H. Murrav, 4 September 

'65, ; N. I. Mayes, 9 September' '68, ; 

Jas. McGuire, ; 0. W. Muller, ; J. H. 

Montgomery, 3 November '66^ ; J. L. Mclvin- 

ney, aff. 6 September '78; A. R. Melendy, 28 Februarv 

'85, ; J. F. Owen, aff. (204), "27 April '66, 

; J. C. Pennington, 28 Julv '65; B. M. Porter, 

22 June '66, dem. 30 June '71 ; Wiley Patton, 27 April 

'67, ; J. H. Pickel, 5 Mav '68, ; W. W. 

Pickel, 26 June '69, ; W. L. Price, dem. 

23 February '72; J. E. Roberts, 25 September '65, 

; J. Crockett Rowan, 2 March '67, dem. 27 August 

'67 ; John W. Robertson, 30 July '67, dem. 27 August 

'67 ; J. H. Rowan, ; F. M. Rowan, 

Josiah K. Rowan, 27 August '67, dem. 11 June '70 ; Jos- 
eph W. Robertson, 23 Februarv '72 ; A. C. Small, 28 Julv 

'65, ; T. H. Small, 4"^ November '65, ; 

G. G. Stillman, , died 29 July '72 ; J. N. Stamp- 
er, 27 October '65, ; James Sample, 27 

August '67, dem. 2 December '70; J. C. Starrett, 

■ ; A. J. Stradlev, aff. (484) 12 Februarv '86; 

J. H. Tavlor, '; N. G. Vinevard, 1 July '65, 

; W. A. Upton, 25 October '67, dem. 11 Feb- 
ruary '81, he died in Texas; S. E. Young (392) aff. 11 

February '81, ; Jno. S. Young, 6 June '84, 

; J. L. Willson, 12 August '65; W. P. Willson, 



HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VAUjEY 385 

; A. W. Ward, 27 July '69, ; S. H. 

Willson, May '65, ; C. I. Wright, 8 September 

'65, ; S. M. Walker, 10 January 70, ; 

C. B. Woodward, February 73, dem. 7 January '76. 

Sweetmater Chapter R. A. M., No. 57. 

Of date tlie first day of January, 1866, John Frizzell, 
G. H. P. of Tennessee, granted to the following com- 
panions: John F. Slover, Eichard C. Jackson, A. D. 
Rhea, S. B. Haines, W. A. Nelson, William Gr. Horton, 
I. N. Clark, J. B. Pickens, H. M. Rice, I. C. Qrant and 
R. L. Scott, a dispensation empowering them to open 
and hold a chapter of Royal Arch Masons in the town 
of Sweetwater, Tenn., to he called Sweetwater Chapter 
No. 57. 

In pursuance of said dispensation on January 22, 
1866, John F. Slover, H. P., mth the other proper of- 
ficers, opened and held a chapter in their hall at Sweet- 
water. G. G. Stillman was made secretary. 

Appended to the by-laws of this chapter, published by 
the Forerunner office at Sweetwater, Tenn., in 1868, the 
names of the officers and members of this chapter follow 
W. H. Cooke, H. P. ; N. P. Hight, K. ; F. Bogart, S. 
T. G. Boyd, C. H. ; W. L. Clark, P. S. ; Charles Cannon 
R. A. C. ; R. F. Scruggs, Treas. ; J. H. Patton, sec'y. 
E. F. Sharp, G. M., 3rd V. ; W. L. Price, 2nd V. ; I. *T 
Lenoir, 1st V. ; J. W. Goddard, Sent. ; G. G. Stillman 
R. A. M. ; C. H. Matthewson, R. A. M. ; A. D. Rhea, R 
A. M. ; Morgan Bryan, R. A. M. ; T. J. Ballard, R. A. M. 
T. N. Epperson, R. A. M. ; Wm. P. McKamey, R. A. M. 
Sam'l. Reese, R. A. M.; I. B. Kimbrough, R. A. M.; H 
J. Foote, R. A. M. ; Frank Felts, R. A. M. ; W. C. Peak 
R. A. M. ; J. J. Harrison, R. A. M. ; E. C. Jones, R. A. M. 
Wm. Osborn, R. A. M. ; J. C. Starrett, R. A. M. ; 0. C 
Carter, R. A. M. ; Jas. P. Galyon, R. A. M. ; W. N. B 
Jones, R. A. M. 

This chapter prospered for some years and greatly 
assisted financially the Sweetwater Lodge No. 292, F. 
& A. M. to erect the two buildings they constructed, the 
hall on the hill and the third story of the Carter build- 
ing. It was the understanding with the chapter and the 
Master Mason's Lodge that the chapter should hold its 



386 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAULEY 

meetings in the hall and own their proportionate part 
of the buildings, although not so expressed in the deed. 
With the formation of new chapters their territory 
was much reduced and it was hard to secure a quorum 
for the transaction of business. In 1887 the Grand 
Chapter of the state of Teimessee revoked their char- 
ter, since which time there has been no chapter in Sweet- 
water. 

The Newspapers of Sweetwater. 

The first paper published in Sweetwater was "The 
Sweetwater Forerunner." Volume 1 No. 1 was dated 
September 1, 1867. It was a four-page paper about half 
the size of the usual weekly. Editor and proprietor, 
H. L. Fry, Subscription price was $2 per year. We 
find this among the editorials in the first paper. 

"Last Qight was a terrible night. — The storm raged all night, and 
Is not over with. Saturday, September 21, 1867, will be, in all time 
to come a memorable day in the history of Sweetwater. Amid the 
flashing of lightning and muttering and bellowing of thunder the 
greatest event that has ever transpired within her limits is taking 
place; the first newspaper ever printed in Sweetwater is being pub- 
lished. Long may the day be remembered and may it be pointed to 
with just pride as the commencement of a new epoch in the history 
of the village." 

There were also poets in those days. Note these lines 
in that issue from J. A. H. : 

A WARNING. 

"Old bachelors arise, away. 

Shake off the fleas and dust. 
If you on earth expect to stay. 

In woman put your trust. 
A married man is right in town 

With a pocket full of rocks, 
A wife to fix his clothes up brown 

And darn his ragged socks." 

Advertisements in the issue were: 

Hight & Scruggs, General Merchandise and Produce; N. I. Mayes, 
D. S.; Stock & Roberts, Commission Merchants, Cartersville, Ga.; 
Glenn, Wright & Carr, Commission Merchants, Atlanta. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 387 

The Forerunner was enlarged in May, 1868, and was 
published by Fry and Fisher. From December 17, 
1868, to March, 1869, Charles M. Fisher w^as sole pro- 
prietor. He was from Richmond, Va., and was appar- 
ently finely educated and very versatile. He was the 
best all round newspaper man, the fijiest flute player 
and the most accomplished " boozefighter " that ever 
lived in the town. 

He never wrote out his editorials ; he just set them 
up and rarely looked them over. They were absolute- 
ly correct in spelling and grammar and were well ex- 
pressed. He was a fluent writer although he did not 
write at all. 

I heard that after he left Sweetwater he became a 
derelict and a tramp printer. He was such an enter- 
taining companion and so fine a musician that drinks 
were easy for him to procure. 

In March, 1869, C. B. Woodward bought out the pa- 
per and became its editor and proprietor. On Sep- 
tember 1, 1869, he changed its name from "Forerun- 
ner" to "The Sweetwater Enterprise." He ran this 
paper until the early part of 1876, when Joe Ivins took 
charge and conducted it until after the November elec- 
tion. The paper was then suspended. Hight and 
Scruggs acquired a title to the outfit. In December, 
1876, J. H. Bean of Knoxville bought the paper and 
press from them and published the paper on January 
1, 1877, under the name of "The Monroe Democrat." 
He was editor and proprietor until the 1st of January, 
1880, when he sold out to D. B. Grace. 

He kindly furnishes the following information: 

"David B. Grace went from Birmingham, Ala., in 1880, to pay a 
visit to his father, F. M. Grace, who was professor of English in 
Hiwassee College. Finding that J. H. Bean was desirous of selling 
the Monroe Democrat he bought him out and ran the paper for four 
years, returning to Birmingham in 1884. During the four years Mr. 
Grace ran the paper it never missed an issue. On one occasion the 
supply of paper ordered failed to arrive, and on Wednesday afternoon 
Mr. Grace went down to Athens on the train and bought five hun- 
dred sheets of paper from Mr. (Sam. P.) Ivins, of the Athens Post, 
and brought it with him on the train to Sweetwater. Thus the Demo- 
crat came out in time Thursday morning. While Mr. Grace pub- 
lished the Democrat there was no other paper in Monroe County. 
The Democrat printed the legal notices and these, together with 
the liberal patronage of the Sweetwater merchants and those of 
Knoxville, gave the paper a good advertising patronage. Mr. Grace 



388 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

was at the time a young man without experience, but he was ably 
assisted by his father, Dr. Brunner, Mr. W. B. Lenoir, Dr. Bachman 
and others." (Note: The assistance I gave him was to drop in his 
sanctum, read his exchanges and talk- to him about the Sweetwater 
girls.— W. B. L.) 

"In 1S84 Grace sold the Democrat and returned to Birmingham. 
There he assisted in founding the Evening Chronicle, and afterward 
served as editorial writer on the News, which had been merged with 
the Chronicle. He also acted as assistant editor on the Age-Herald. 
He is now engaged in general literary work." 

After Mr. Grace disposed of the Democrat J. S. Year- 
wood became the editor and proprietor. (See H. B. Y.) 
He ran the paper till W. B. Lenoir purchased from him 
in March, 1889. W. B. L. ran the paper till the fall of 
1891 when he was bought out by F, H. Sruggs of the 
News. The Monroe Democrat, as its name would indi- 
cate, was always a democratic paper. 

The Sweetwater News 

Began to be published by F. H. Scruggs as editor and 
proprietor in 1886. He" published it under that name 
until the fall of 1891. After F. H. S. purchased the 
Monroe Democrat from W. B. Lenoir he ran the merged 
papers under the name of the Democrat-News till his 
death which occurred on July 8, 1895. This paper was 
then suspended and the printing presses and the type 
sold to Mr. Martin of the Loudon Record. 

Not long after the suspension of the Democrat-News 
J. M. Kirkland ran a small paper for several months 
which he called the ''Ruby Wave." He then enlarged 
it and changed the name to Sweetw^ater Courier. This 
paper he conducted for about two years. 

The Sweetwater Telephone. 

The latter part of 1895 D. L. Smith and others formed 
a stock companv and on January 1, 1896, commenced the 
publication of The Sweetwater Telephone. D. L. Smith 
was editor of this paper until September 1, 1907. Then 
at a reorganization of the stock company D. L. Smith 
became president and James M. Pardue, editor and 
manager. D. L. Smith died November 19, 1912. 

J. M. Pardue has had a controlling interest in this 
paper for six years up to present (1916). 



history of sweetwater valley 389 

Legislators in the General Assembly of Tennessee, 
Residents of Sweetwater Valley. 

Sweehvater Valley has had its share of lawmakers in 
the General Assembly, and they have all been farmers 
except three — one of these three was a farmer when he 
Was elected. 

Those representatives living in the valley when elected 
were: General James H. Eeagan, senator Twenty-first 
General Assembly, Monroe and McMinn, and also in the 
Thirtieth General Assembly, the first to hold its meet- 
ings in the state capitol. Reagan's history is given else- 
where in this book. 

Hon. Few Hall Gregory was a representative in the 
Twenty-third General Assembly, elected in 1839. See 
Gregory elsewhere in this book. 

Colonel Jno. Ramsey was elected representative from 
Monroe to the Twent}^- seventh General Assembly. His 
opponent was Wm. Heiskell. An account of this race 
and his history is given in this book. 

Hon. George W. Gaines, formerly of the fourteenth 
civil district of Monroe County, was living with his son- 
in-law, Dr. F. Bogart of Sweetwater, when elected to the 
Legislature in 1865. This legislature has no regular 
number and is known as the "Bro^mlow Legislature.'* 
In his race he received the Democratic vote of the coun- 
ty. He was a Union man during the war but opposed 
the disfranchising legislation and other violent meas- 
ures passed by that assembly. 

Hon. Jesse F. Owen was elected in 1869 to represent 
Monroe County in the Thirty-sixth General Assembly. 
For further history see Owen in this book. 

General J. C. Vaughn was a senator from the seventh 
senatorial district to the Thirty-seventh General As- 
sembly. He was speaker of that body. His history is 
given in this book. 

Hon. S. J. Martin was representative from Monroe 
and Loudon counties in the Thirty-eighth General As- 
sembly. For history see Presley Cleveland family. 

Hon. William Cannon was elected to the Fortieth 
General Assembly as the representative from Monroe 
and Loudon counties. 

Hon. W. B. Sample was a representative of Monroe 
and Loudon counties in the Fortv-first General Assem- 



390 HISTOEY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

bly, although he did not reside in the first civil district 
of Monroe County nor in Sweetwater Valley, but close 
to the line between first and second districts, and his 
post-office was at Sweetwater. His team of oxen and 
his corn-cob pipe were frequently seen in our town. On 
election day in November, 1878, a large crowd smoking 
cob pipes went in a body to the polls and voted for Sam- 
ple. He was called the farmer's candidate. 

Hon. J. R. Love was representative from Monroe 
County in the Forty-fourth General Assembly, elected 
in November, 1884. Died during his incumbency. For 
sketch of him see Reagan family. 

Hon. D. R. Nelson was a member of the Forty-sixth 
General Assembly as a senator of the sixth district. 
(See Nelson.) 

Hon. "W. L. Brown was senator from the sixth sen- 
atorial district in the Forty-seventh General Assembly. 
History in this book. 

W. N. Hoge was a representative from McMinn Coun- 
ty to the Forty-eighth General Assembly. At the time 
of his election he resided near Reagan Station. Previ- 
ous to his election he occupied several important county 
offices. 

W. G. Lenoir was a joint representative for Knox 
and Loudon counties in the General Assembly. He was 
elected in November, 1910, as a fusionist. He was a 
zealous prohibitionist and was a prominent factor in 
state-wide legislation whde he was a member. 

Hon. James M. Pardue was representative from Mon- 
roe to the Forty-ninth General Assembly. He is the 
present (1916) senator from the district comprised of 
Knox, Blount, Monroe and Polk counties. He is a law- 
yer by profession and now (1916) editor of the Sweet- 
water Telephone. He was born in Loudon County and 
came to Sweetwater twenty years ago. 

Hon. J. C. Waren was a member of the Fifty-sixth 
General Assembly as the representative from Monroe 
County. For further history see Colonel Jno. Ramsey 
in this book. ! 

Hon. James May was senator from the 6th district in 
the Fifty-fifth General Assembly. He was born in Knox 
County on October 10, 1863. He came to Sweetwater in 
November, 1896. He embarked in the hardware busi- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 391 

ness in which he remained eighteen years. He was 
mayor of Sweetwater for eight years. He was married 
to Prudie C. Howard of Fork Creek on December 21, 
1887. He was prison commissioner for East Tennessee, 
under Governor Hooper, 1912-14. He had charge of 
the penitentiary farm near Nashville which he ran suc- 
cessfully, clearing $55,000 over and above expenses dur- 
ing his incumbency. His children are Ethel, Beulah and 
Earl. Earl is a member of the firm of James May & 
Son at Sw^eetwater. 

Some TRANSACTioisrs in Horses in 1863. 

In the last years of the Civil War East Kentucky, 
East Tennessee, Western North Carolina and North 
Georgia were infested with various bands of horse 
thieves, robbers and bushwhackers. Sometimes several 
of these bands acted in connnon after the John A. Mur- 
rell style. Others chose a leader and acted independ- 
ently. Often they claimed to affiliate with one or the 
other side in the civil contest. The union bushwhackers 
claimed that they did not rob and kill Union men and 
the Rebel bushwhackers that they did not rob and mur- 
der Southern sympathizers. As notable examples' we 
might mention Tinker Dave Beattie and Champ Fer- 
guson in the Cumberlands and Goldman Bryson and 
Lyons in the Smokies. I presume if w^e ever have a 
war with a foreign country we will likely have American 
and hyphenated-American bushwhackers. 

In the sections mentioned in 1863 and 1864 no man's 
life or property was safe. If a soldier deserted from 
either army he usually stole a horse as an additional 
means of safety in getting away and also to secure a val- 
uable piece of property. 

In this section horse stealing was very common in 
1863. In May of that year my father, I. T. Lenoir, had 
a fine horse stolen from a barn near his home located 
about one and a half miles south of Sweetw^ater. It was 
stolen b}^ a deserter from the 10th Confederate, Colonel 
Goode's Cav., Regt. of conscripts. My father got on 
his track and followed him to the Sand Mountains of 
Alabama now the richest, then the poorest section of the 
state. He failed to find his own horse but his expedition 
was not fruitless. One day in following a supposed clue 



392 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

he came across a rough looking sand-mountaineer who 
was riding a fine roane mare. He engaged him in con- 
versation and on close inspection he was confident that 
he had seen the animal he was riding hitched in Sweet- 
water several times and was convinced that she had 
been stolen. He told the fellow he had come after that 
horse and to throw down his rifle and dismount. This 
he at first refused to do, but my father reasoned with 
him in such a way that he finally did as requested. He 
then ordered him to walk back the way he came and 
not to turn round or look back. When he had gotten 
some distance off, father himself lost no time in return- 
ing, fearing he might be pursued. The mare, as it turned 
out, belonged to Mr. Robert Wright of Fork Creek Val- 
ley. It would have been a fine joke on father if he had 
not succeeded in finding the owner. 

After the sand mountain episode, we took precautions 
to prevent the horses from being stolen. Our barn had 
some stables which could only be reached through a 
passage which was closed at each end by a gate. The 
gate at one end was padlocked and the one at the other 
end, least used, was fastened by a large wood screw 
through the slat into the latch; thus the gate could not 
be opened without taking out the screw. We did not 
think a thief would catch on to the scheme without wak- 
ing the negro or myself up. We slept in the barn loft 
as additional protection against thieves. But ''the best 
laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley." 

On Sunday the 5th of Jul}^, 1863, I persuaded one of 
the neighbor boys to go with me to Craighead Lake in 
the Bat Creek knobs for a swim. The lake then was 
considerably larger than now. We did not particularly 
need to go in bathing, but we had heard the Rev. Mr. 
Bradshaw preach for an hour and a half in the morn- 
ing and we thought we were entitled to an afternoon off. 
For fear of embarrassing complications we thought best 
not to consult our parents about the trip. We remained 
in the water considerable time trying to outswim the 
mellow bugs, with which the surface of the lake abound- 
ed. This made me sleep sounder" in the barn loft 
than usual that night. So when the thief came Sunday 
night, as he told me afterwards about 11 o'clock, I did 
not wake and neither did the darkey that was with me. 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 393 

In the morning the gate was wide open and a horse was 
gone. The thief, in trying to get the horse out, had 
started to cut the latch in two. He found that would 
take too long. He accidentally discovered how the latch 
was fastened and unloosed the screw with his knife, 
which happened to be a strong one. 

The horse stolen was one easily described and identi- 
fied. He was a large rawbonecl bay horse, about sixteen 
and a half hands high and had a very large head and 
had a couple of large warts on his jaws. A blind bridle 
was missing but he got no saddle. He stole a saddle 
in Dancing Branch neighborhood. We heard of that 
on Monday. We found out on Tuesday that a man Car- 
ter had left the 6th Georgia, Hart's Regiment -svithout 
a furlough and that he had volunteered from Towns 
County, Ga. Mr. W. H. Taylor, son of E. A. Tay- 
lor, and a former merchant in Sweetwater, had married 
a Miss Bradshaw of Towns County, Ga. Her mother 
still lived there and Mr. Taylor was acquainted in that 
section. He told my father he would go with me to get 
the horse and, if possible, the man that stole him. I was 
anxious to go as I was much chagrinned at my father's 
saying ironically what a fine guard I was. So we made 
our arrangements to start from Sweetwater next morn- 
ing, Wednesday. 

To show how thoughtful my father was I remember 
a little circumstance. He knew that it gave me a bad 
headache not to have coffee for breakfast as I had al- 
ways been used to it. He suggested that I get my 
mother to put me up some coffee to take along. This 
was not to be given out where we stopped, but if I got 
the headache for lack of it, the grounds were to be 
drank from a cup mixed with cold water from some 
spring by the roadside. On trying the experiment when 
the headache came on, I found it worked like a charm. 
Coffee in the Confederacy owing to the blockade of 
the ports in 1863 was exceedingly scarce and high in 
price when it could be obtained at all. As a substitute 
parched rye and wheat were used. It tasted all right 
like postum but did not have any kick to it like real cof- 
fee. 

But to resume my narrative : We, Taylor and myself, 
left Sweetwater in the morning. He rode a good horse 



394 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

of father's; I rode a horse rather on the pony 
order, which I had purchased from a Texas ranger. His 
name was Craig. He wanted to sell the horse to me 
because his ankle had been rope scorched and he was 
temporarily disabled. I paid for him $100.00 in Con- 
federate money. One was about as unsafe possession 
as the other. I was rather proud of my trade, as that 
was the first horse I had ever bought. 

The result proved that he was a very hardy animal 
but rather a tiresome saddler. We, W. H. Taylor and 
myself, stayed at Austin Fry's the first night. He then 
lived on Conasuaga Creek three miles this side of the 
toll gate on the road from Madisonville to Murphy, N. 
C. He was an old acquaintance of my father and used 
to reside near Reagan's Station. There at Fry's we 
heard nothing of the man and the stolen horse but on 
reaching the toll gate at the foot of Unaka Mountain 
we were told that our man had passed through the gate 
there. This was encouraging and we determined to 
push rapidly on. There were only two routes he could 
take, either up the Hiwassee River tow^ards Murphy or 
the one to Ducktown going south and crossing the Hi- 
wassee River at Taylor's Ferry near where Apalachia 
now is. We concluded to risk the Murphy route as we 
thought Carter had gone that way with the stolen horse. 
We did this though we had been told by Mr. Fry that 
that route was very dangerous. He said: **I would not 
undertake what you two are trying to do for my hat full 
of gold. Tlie country east of the mountains towards 
Murphy is full of bushwhackers who do not hesitate to 
commit any sort of depredation." Mr. Fry some weeks 
before had been shot in the shoulder from ambush and 
narrowly escaped with his life. He was at the time w^e 
stopped with him carrying his arm in a sling in conse- 
quence of his wound. Goldman Bryson's notorious gang 
were then in process of formation. From the toll gate 
for twelve miles we saw no one, though that is no evi- 
dence that w^e were not ourselves seen, till we reached 
the Beaver Dam country on the Hiwassee River ten 
miles from Murphy ; there we passed a man mth Federal 
blue pants on driving two calves hitched to the front 
wheels of a wagon. Two or three miles further on we 
met a man carrying a fiddle and a bow in a sack. He 



HISTORY OF SWrEETWATER VALLEY 395 

* was about the only man we saw that day who looked 
cheerful and did not eye us with suspicion. I supposed 
he thought that no one would be mean and heartless 
enough to hurt a good tiddler however steeped in crime 
he might be. Not far from Hanging Dog Creek we saw 
Jim Eeddieks, so Taylor said his name was, plowing 
corn in a field. We questioned none of them. We did 
not care about advertising our business. 

We stopped at Murphy where we arrived about the 
middle of the day, and got our dinner at S. W. David- 
son's. He kept hotel in an old frame building, now torn 
down, which occupied the lot under the large elms and 
aspens opposite the site of the new Regal Hotel. At this 
town we made some inquiries but found out nothing of 
consequence. We were there about an hour and a half. 
We had come twenty-five miles and still had twenty-nine 
to go if we reached Mrs. Bradshaw's, Mr. Taylor's 
mother-in-law. She lived four miles east of Hiwassee, 
Towns County, Ga. When dark came upon us we were 
ten or twelve miles from our destination, but we thought 
it better to arrive in that neighborhood at night so that 
no one could have any idea who we were or what our 
business was. We did not want it known there were 
any strangers there. It must have been nearly mid- 
night when we arrived at Mrs. Bradshaw's. Her son 
was away in the army and Mrs. Bradshaw being natural- 
ly excited at any one coming at that time of night and 
a visit from him was entirely unexpected that Taylor 
could hardly convince her that he was her son-in-law. 
When he knocked, "Who's there?" she asked. ''Billy 
Taylor." "What Taylor?" "Delia Bradshaw's hus- 
band." She finally became convinced of his identity 
and let us in and told us where we could get feed for our 
horses. We had traveled fifty-four or fifty-five miles 
that day and I was so thoroughly weary that it seems 
to me I was asleep before I hardly got my clothes off. 
Wlien I had slept for about ten minutes, as I thought, 
Taylor awakened me out of the shortest night's sleep 
in my experience. He said it was near sunrise and we 
must be up and doing. After considerable inquiry in 
the neighborhood we found that Carter's wife had lived 
not very far from Mrs. Bradshaw's but had left some- 
time previous for parts unknown. They told us how- 



396 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

ever that Mrs. Carter's father lived in Ducktown and 
that his name was Borong. So about 10 a. m. we left for 
that place to find out what we could there. That night 
we stayed at a Mr. Martin's about six miles southeast 
of Murphy. Next morning bright and early we were on 
our way. We had traveled for about an hour and were 
a short distance from the bridge over the Notla and we 
came to the forks of the road, when Taylor remarked 
"Lets get off our horses and have a consultation." I 
noticed that he had been unusually silent and serious for 
the last mile or two of our journey and looked as if in 
a deep study. When we dismounted he did not say any- 
thing for some time; then he said: "I believe Mr. Fry 
was right and I feel it my duty to say to you that we 
ought not to risk our lives for the sake of a horse that 
may be stolen again and may soon be impressed for the 
service of one army or the other. I think we had bet- 
ter return by way of Murphy and let the horse go." 
**From what Mr. Fry said," I answered, ''will it not be 
as dangerous to return that way as to go on." ''Well 
I'm going back," he said, "what are you going to do?" 
and he turned his horse's head in the direction of Mur- 
phy. "I'm going to get that horse," I replied, "that's 
what I came for. I 'm not going back home and have Pa 
saying I should have prevented the horse from being 
stolen and when he sent me after him I did not make 
the proper effort to get him. I do not suppose I could 
take the horse and man back by myself but I'm going to 
get that horse or know the reason why I can't." I rather 
thought he was bluffing and I concluded to put up one 
myself. Still there was no decision. After some little 
time he offered as a compromise that he would go to 
Ducktown with me and if we found out nothing there 
we would return home by the most feasible route. I 
agreed. We had not gone far till he remarked: "The 
fact is I could not go back and face your mother and 
father if I had deserted you and anything happened to 
you." That was the way I had him sized up but I did 
not think it policy to tell him so then. We then wended 
our way to Ducktown, a long, long, lonesome road and 
one of the most hilly I've ever traveled. There is not I 
believe a hundred yards at one place of level road, or 
was not at that time, between Notla Bridge and Duck- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 397 

town. (Why the name Ducktown I've often w^ondered, 
for I have never seen a duck there, wild or tame.) 

When we reached Ducktown we found Mr. Borong 
was engaged in roasting copper ore so as to form it into 
mattes. This was the crude form in which the cop- 
per was hauled to Cleveland,' Tenn. The copper mined 
at Ducktown then was mostly used by the Confederacy. 
Mr. Taylor asked Mr. Borong if he had seen his son- 
in-law or if he had passed through. He said he 
had two or three days previously and told when asked 
what kind of a horse Carter was riding. He further in- 
formed us that his daughter was up in Fannin County, 
Ga., near Morganton and he thought his son-in-law had 
gone to where she was. Mr. Taylor then informed him 
that Carter was riding a horse that was stolen in Sweet- 
water Valley but we did not know how he got it but if 
he came by the horse honestly he would be protected. 
Mr. Borong said that his son-in-law had told him that 
he was absent from his regiment on furlough and that 
he had swapped for the horse. He said that he had no 
desire to shield his son-in-law if he was a thief. We 
thought he w^as honest and meant w^hat he said but still 
we preferred not to take any chances and lost no time 
in getting to Morganton, which place we reached about 
sundown. We put up at the hotel. Taylor left the ho- 
tel soon to hunt up the sheriff of the county. He made 
arrangements with him to get a deputy or two and hunt 
up our man and horse. He kept this secret from me and 
they did not start on the expedition until after I had 
gone to sleep. As the slang phrase goes "he put one 
over me. ' ' 

He woke me up very early in the next morning (Sun- 
day) and said we were ready to start home. ''What, 
without the man and horse?" I asked. ''No, we got 
them." I was in no good humor about his leaving me 
behind the night l)efore but consoled myself that I had 
got a good night's rest, and that my horse was fresh. 

Taylor got no more than two or three hours rest at 
most. He had also thought best to hire a horse for the 
night and let the one he had been riding get a good feed 
and rest so that we would be ready for any contingen- 
cies. 

Taylor told me how they had captured Carter. He 



398 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

would, the}^ thouglit, likely be in the woods or on the 
watch in the day time and the best chance to get him 
would be at night. Taylor, the sheriff and one deputy, 
I think, found out that Carter was suspected to be with 
his wife about five miles from Morganton towards Noon- 
tootla Creek. Tliey reached the cabin he was in about 
midnight. They surrounded the house and knocked at 
the door and the sheriff, when Carter's wife answered, 
told her he wanted to see her husband. She denied his 
being there. The sheriff said : "I know that is not so ; 
I know he is in there. You better tell him to come out 
or let us in." He finally after much parley came out 
and surrendered. But there was no horse in the stable 
or near the house. When asked what he had done with 
him he denied having had any such horse. Taylor said 
that partly by threats and partly through his wife 's per- 
suasion they got Carter to take them about a half mile 
from the house out in the woods to where the horse was 
tied. However they found no saddle and Carter had to 
ride bareback. Taylor and his party reached Morgan- 
ton about 2 in the morning. The sheriff took charge of 
the prisoner and let Taylor sleep awhile. Before sun 
up we were on our way back with the captured man and 
horse, and truly glad that we had come out right so far. 
One of the sheriff's deputies escorted us for four or five 
miles on our return as we did not know what Carter's 
friends might attempt to do. We did not intend to give 
them any time to "mobilize." The officer untied him 
and turned him over to us and we hurried on our way. 
We wanted to get out of Georgia into Tennessee in short 
order and we were not going to be bothered leading the 
horse he was riding and we warned him not to try to 
escape. We knew the bringing him out of Georgia into 
Tennessee was entirely illegal both from a civil and a 
military point of view. We had no order from Colonel 
Hart or any commanding officer to arrest him as a de- 
serter and we had no warrant for his arrest from any 
civil authorities in either Tennessee or Georgia. We 
had no requisition from Governor Harris of Tennessee 
to the governor of Georgia. We did not know even 
where Governor Harris was and the governor of Georgia 
was at Milledgeville. There were no telephone, tele- 
graph or railroad lines nearer than the E. T. & Ga., 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 399 

now the Southern Railwaj^ How much it cost to get 
him out of Fannin County I do not now remember. I 
expect though as much as the horse was worth. We had 
plenty of money along and even some money besides Con- 
federate. We knew though that Carter was in no shape 
to appeal either to the civil or military authorities. On 
more than one account however we were anxious to get 
out of Georgia as soon as possible. 

After we traveled eight or ten miles Carter asked us 
by what route we intended going back. Taylor told him 
we thought of crossing at Taylor's Ferry and thence by 
the toll gate to Sweetwater the way he came. At this 
he was very much pleased, entirely too much so we 
thought. It would have been best for him to have dis- 
sembled and looked pained. After discussing the mat- 
ter in a low tone, so that he could not hear, we fully de- 
termined to come back by Ducktown, down Ocoee, by 
Benton and Athens. When we came to the Taylor's 
Ferry road and we took the other route he called our 
attention to the fact that we were taking the wrong road. 
When we told him we had changed our minds and were 
not going that way he seemed very much disappointed 
and tried to get us to take the Ta^dor's Ferry route. 
This strengthened us in our determination to do the op- 
posite. So we came down the Ocoee River for many 
miles. We saw nobody for nearly a half day's travel. 
About the only thing that attracted our attention except 
the scenery, and we were not thinking of that, was a 
gray rebel roundabout coat lying on a rock beside the 
road. The rapid river was on one side of us and a steep 
mountain on the other. We paused not to investigate 
but wondered whether some poor fellow had met his fate 
and been thrown into the river. We were then, if I mis- 
take not, in the Frog Mountain region, where even now 
after fifty years have passed, accidents sometimes hap- 
pen to travelers, especially deputy revenue collec- 
tors. That night (Sunday) we stayed at Captain Han- 
na's, six miles east of Benton in Polk County. We asked 
Captain Hanna if he could get any one to guard our 
prisoner while we slept. He said that he owned a boy 
that was half nigger and half Indian, — nigger enough 
to obey orders and Indian enough to be watchful and 
not afraid of anything and was trusty. When we told 



400 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

the half-breed that we would pay him well if he did not 
let the man escape, he put his hand on his gun and 
smiled significantly and seemed much pleased with his 
job. We ate dinner at Mrs. Matthews near Athens the 
next day, it being Monday, July 13, 1863. Mr. Taylor 
that afternoon turned off at Reagan's to go to his fath- 
er's on Pond Creek. As we had gotten to be very good 
friends in our two days' acquaintance I was satisfied 
that m}^ companion would come quietly, however, re- 
luctantly, with me to my father's. This he did. My 
father, I. T. Lenoir, then lived one and a half miles 
south of Sweetwater. Tlie horse and I were glad to get 
home and mother was delighted to see me but I do not 
think she surmised that I had been absent on anything 
but a rather w^earisome momitain trip. Father and a 
rebel soldier by the name of James Wilson from Owen 
County, Ky., relieved me of Carter and turned him over 
to the Confederate authorities at Sweetwater. I heard 
afterward that he was sent to Richmond to be punished 
as a deserter. 

When I told my father what risks we ran on the trip 
did he embrace me and say I was a young hero? Noth- 
ing of the kind; but he did say that I was very, very 
foolish when I learned the existing conditions not to 
turn back — horse or no horse. I considered this unkind, 
as that was the nearest I ever came to doing the Casa- 
blanca act — except his was a ship and mine was a horse. 
I up and told my father that we brought back our own 
horse and not somebody else's like he did from Alabama 
and remarked more forcibly than grammatically that 
"If another horse gets stole it can just stay stole so far 
as I am concerned." I was just 16 then and this was my 
declaration of Independence on July 13 instead of the 
4th. 

Now in the six days we were absent I estimate that 
we traveled 264 miles over rough roads, up and down 
mountains, fording many rivers and creeks which any 
serious rise would have rendered impassable. But the 
weather was fine and the five nights we spent away 
from home we were fortujiate in having good stopping 
places. My horse was small but I did not myself then 
weigh more than 115 pounds, and I was accustomed to 
riding. We were in the saddle at least thirteen hours 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 401 

a day. We could get no corn for our horses but had to 
depend for feed on sheaf oats and new hay. The latter 
part of our journey we were also encumbered with a 
prisoner. 

And all this ''much ado" was about a warty horse 
which one of Sherman's bummers not long afterward 
''confiscated" and probably after he had ridden him as 
far as he could force him to go, left him to die by the 
roadside. 

Carter did not strike me as being a bad man but was 
rather the victim of circumstances. He was about 27 
or 28 years of age he said when he joined the army and 
had been married several years. He was very ignorant 
and unlettered. His volunteering as w^ell as I could un- 
derstand came about in this wise. The secession ladies 
of Hiwassee, Ga., and the countrj^ around made a flag, 
baked a big dinner, advertised a rally, got a politician 
to make a speech: "That the Yankees wanted to take 
our property, free our negroes, violate state rights and 
force us into submission." They waved the stars and 
bars, the fifer played Dixie, the drummer rattled the 
snare drum. ' ' Fall in line, boys, we wont be gone more 
than three or four months, and come back covered with 
glory. Wlioopee! Hurrah!" Now the fellow had no 
property, had never seen a half dozen black folks in his 
life, knew nothing of state rights and secession. But 
he thought it would be great to ride a horse, wear a uni- 
form, lie around the camp fire, like he used to do coon 
hunting, and crack jokes with the boys. And what a 
good thing it would be not to have to plow, in a rocky, 
stumpy new ground and still have his family taken care 
of. just a picnic all the time ! Then he soon found out 
what war was. He heard from home that his wife was 
sick and his children were hungry. He asked for a fur- 
lough. Men were too scarce and he was refused. He 
stole a horse between suns and went anyhow. He got 
caught. He was returned to his connnand. He was 
probably tried by court martial for desertion. He was 
sentenced. A squad was ordered to take him to Rich- 
mond and report back in half an houi\ Thus ended the 
chapter for him. Tlie pity of it was he did not realize 
what it was all about. "What the difference?" you 
might say. "He was nothing but a Georgia cracker; 



402 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

just 'poor white trash'." True; j^et he was a human 
being; there were wife and children; they loved him, 
needed him. 

But most of the persons mentioned above have long 
since passed aw^a}^ Taylor died in Paris, Texas, a year 
and a half ago. Were it pertinent to this history it 
might be interesting to note the changes commercial and 
physical a half century has wrought in the regions we 
traversed on our trip; how the rivers and creeks we 
forded are now spanned by steel bridges ; how their wa- 
ters once crj'stal have been discolored by wood and 
chemical acids ; how the fish have been killed off by tan 
bark ooze and sawdust ; how most of the mountains have 
been denuded of their magnificent forest trees ; how the 
whole country has been crisscrossed by telephone and 
telegraph wires; how the whistle of the locomotive 
breaks the once quiet and stillness of the valleys and 
mountains; how the waterfall of the streams has been 
utilized to furnish light and power to distant cities; 
especially how the talc, marble, gold, iron, manganese 
and copper have added mitold millions to the wealth of 
the nation, in so much that the production of the Duck- 
town region alone for the last fifty years would be equal 
to the assessed valuation of all the property in the city 
of Knoxville; how the log cabin has given place to the 
pretentious colonial dwelling; how summer residences 
and hotels dot the landscapes; but to do this would re- 
quire a book. 

And here 's the conclusion of the matter : 

The icy rills in leafy vales. 

That once did quench the thirst of deer, 
The tourist there stale jokes retails 

And in their waters cools his beer; 
And where the huntsman, gun and dogs, 

Did chase fierce bruin to his lair. 
The two-step girl in summer togs 

Hunts down the tired millionaire. 

A War Episode. 

From a paper prepared by Mrs. M. T. Williams, en- 
titled "Reminiscences of the Bushwhackers," J. C. 
Vaughn, Chapter U. D. C, by permission, we make the 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAULEY 403 

following extracts: Mrs. Williams relates that shortly 
after the Battle of Philadelphia, in October, 1863, she 
and her husband and children were spending a quiet 
evening at home, not expecting any unusual happening, 
but, she says: ''On glancing up we saw a company of 
bushwhackers approaching us, who however passed di- 
agonally by us going toward the Tellico River. We 
sat and watched them pass out of sight. My husband 
left immedia,tely, as I supposed, to go to the woods to 
look after his stock, as the only way we could keep stock 
to work the land was to hide it in the woods. But in- 
stead of going there he went to Colonel C. M. McGhee's. 
(Here Mr. Williams takes up the story.) "From Col- 
onel McGhee I secured one of his fleetest (race) horses. 
I went (post haste) to Sweetwater to notify General 
Vaughn, who was there reorganizing his regiment, which 
had not been exchanged after the Battle of Vicksburg. 
General Vaughn, after getting the information, at once 
took command of a company or small squadron of cav- 
alry, of the 8th Tennessee, connnanded by Captain Mc- 
Gentis containing also a few soldiers from different com- 
mands, who chanced to be on hand, and started late in 
the evening in pursuit of the bushwhackers. I had just 
got to Sweetwater off of Wlieeler 's raid and volunteered 
to go along. I took supper at Madisonville with Bob 
Houston who went with us. We rode to near Coco Creek 
that night where the command rested until near morn- 
ing. Meantime I had scouted the comitry and found 
that the bushw^hackers had struck the old turnpike road 
at Coco Creek and gone on in the direction of North Car- 
olina. Dressed as a Yankee soldier I acted as scout and 
went on in advance of General Vaughan and the com- 
mand to locate the crowd. We overtook them at Evans' 
Mill on Beaver Dam Creek, in Cherokee County, N. C. 
When I rode into them I turned back and notified Gen- 
eral Vaughn, when he notified Captain McGentis to 
charge them at once. We killed two and captured seven- 
teen, including Lieutenant Conley, a Yankee officer with 
Bryson. We lost one man killed, I chased Bryson some 
distance but he, being better mounted than I, got away 
from me in the mountains. Captain Jim Taylor, with 
a squad of Indians, trailed him across the mountains a 
few days afterwards, perhaps the next day, and killed 



404 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

him on Coco Creek, near where he lived. However that 
did not break up the bushwhackers in Monroe County. 

THE TOWN OF PHILADELPHIA. 

I have access to a map owned by W. C. Cannon, of Philadelphia, 
which purports to be a certified copy of the original map of Phila- 
delphia, which William Knox had laid off in 1822 or prior thereto. 
This map was copied from one drawn by Robert Wear. The num- 
bers of the lots ran from 1 to 70, commencing at the northwest corner 
of the town in the bend of the cresk number one and ending in num- 
ber seventy on the west side of what is known as the Bacome Branch. 
The map shows the purchasers of lots up to April, 1822, at which time 
about twenty-five lots had been sold. James Price was the purchaser 
of lot number one, and Joseph Price, the brother of James Price, pur- 
chased lot number two. Most of the names mentioned as purchasers 
of lots are unfamiliar to the present generation. Few of their descen- 
dants are now living in this section. Jacob Pearson purchased lots 
numbers ten and eleven, opposite to where the mill now stands. Jacob 
Pearson built the brick house which stands west of the spring, where 
Mrs. W. G. Lenoir now (1916) lives. Lot No. 39, now owned by Robert 
Mims, formerly the home of Robert Cleveland, was bought by John 
Grigsby. Lot No. 58 was the one on which Matthew Nelson, former 
treasurer of the State, built the log house in which he lived and 
which is still standing. Lot No. 18, where the Presbyterian church 
now stands, was purchased by Amos Chesnut. Lots Nos. 19, 20 and 
21 were purchased by Richard Hill, John Haskins and Hiram Lambert, 
respectively. Lot No. 28, where Dr. Ben Franklin once lived and 
now owned by John Thompson, was purchased by Jonas Israel. Lots 
Nos. 45, 46 and 47 constitute the public square of the town. 

The Presbyterian Church of U. S. A. at Phila- 
delphia 

Was organized in 1820 by the Rev. William Eagleton 
and first had a temporary place of worship in the town. 
The tirst building was a brick which was erected about 
1829 in the cemetery north of the creek and town. This 
building was destroyed by fire during the Civil War. 
The present building was erected during 1872 and was 
dedicated on September 22, of that year. The church 
at Philadelphia was called the Mt. Zion Church. Dur- 
ing its early days Revs. William Eagleton, Abel Pear- 
son and Hilary Patrick were its ministerial supplies. 
In 1828 the Rev. Thomas Brown became its pastor and 
remained in charge until 1872. The Rev. Thomas Rob- 
erts served the church in the years of 1872 and 1873. 
The Rev. C. E. Tedford was pastor from June, 1874, un- 
til June, 1877 ; the Rev. Donald McDonald 1877 to 1883, 
inclusive; the Rev. Joseph Clements 1884 to 1886 and 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 405 

the Revs. J. H. McConnell, James McDonald and P. M. 
Bartlett were temporaiy supplies until 1892 wlieri the 
Rev. J, B. Creswell took charge in May of that year 
and remains the pastor until this time (1916). 

The following persons have served as elders: 

In 1827, Moses Renshaw, James Patton, Stephen Low, Robert Shaw, 
James Martin, Thomas Craighead, Jacob Pearson, John Ramsey, Cum- 
mings McCoy. 

In 1833, James Taylor and Stephen Dillard. 

In 1843, James Harrison, M. D., William Rodgers, M. D.; in 1850, 
Thomas McCauley; in 1851, David F. Jamieson; in 1854, A. W. Cozart; 
in 1857, Solomon Bogart; in 1877, W. L. Brown; in 1885, George C. 
Ruggles; in 1891, Samuel J. Sparks. 

Clerks of the Session: In 1827, Cummings McCoy; in 1829, John 
Ramsey; in 1843, William Rodgers; in 1846, Dr. James F. Harrison; 
in 1857, Solomon Bogart; in 1877, W. L. Brown. 

THE BATTLE OF PHILADELPHIA. 

As this was the . only important engagement fought within the 
bounds of Sweetwater Valley during the Civil War, it would be perti- 
nent and interesting to relate some of the occurrences which led up to 
it, before giving the reports of the commanders on each side, which I 
hereto append. 

The latter part of August, 1863, General Burnside with a large force 
of cavalry and mounted infantry, having crossed the Cumberland Moun- 
tains, struck the railroad at Lenoir's Station, now Lenoir City. The 
Confederate forces did not attempt to resist their approach. They had 
previously prepared the Loudon Railroad bridge for destruction by dis- 
tributing inflammable material on it, and on they set fire 

to it and burned it to prevent pursuit. The object of the Confederates 
was to concentrate somewhere about Chattanooga and to defeat Rose- 
crans in his flank movement on that place. So, after the battle of 
Chickamauga, on the 19th and 20th of September, 1863, cavalry was 
sent towards Knoxville by the Confederates to drive the Federals out 
of the country and prepare the way for Longstreet's forces to come 
afterwards. In the Confederate official reports there seems to be 
some confusion as to who was th,e senior oflJcer in the Second Cavalry 
Brigade, Colonel G. G. Dibrell and J. J. Morrison both signing them- 
selves as commanding officers. It seems that the Second Cavalry 
Brigade was divided into two parts and approached Philadelphia, 
where Wolford's Brigade of Cavalry was encamped, by different routes. 
Colonel Morrison came through Bradley County, passing in the neigh- 
borhood of Georgetown, where they encamped for a couple of weeks. 
They crossed the Hiwassee River, partly by fording and partly by 
ferrying, between Charleston and the Tennessee River, and, as Colonel 
Morrison in his reports relates, traveled very rapidly through Meigs 
and Roane Counties to get between Loudon and Philadelphia to cut 
off Wolford's forces from their base at Loudon. The forces under his 
command, though not so stated by him in his official report, were the 
Sixteenth Battalion and the Sixth and First Georgia Cavalry, com- 
manded by Colonel Morrison. Scouts were sent ahead by him to ascer- 
tain, if possible, the location of the Federal pickets, the whereabouts and 
number of the Federal troops and their contemplated movements. For 
this duty Private J. A. Reagan and five others from Neil's Battalion 



406 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

were sent with instructions not to spare their horses and to report as 
soon as possible. They returned and made a clear and satisfactory- 
report. Colonel Morrison's command succeeded in concealing their 
movement and struck the railroad at th.e old Cannon residence, one 
and one-half miles northeast of Philadelphia. 

Colonel G. G. Dibrell, with the Fourth Tennessee Cavalry, with some 
parts of the Third, Thirty-first and Fifty-ninth Tennessee Regiments 
acting as mounted infantry, approached by way of Charleston, Athens 
and Sweetwater. The engagement was fough.t on the morning of 
October 20th. There were some pickets stationed near the Cleveland 
church. A small party of Confederates, in order to make a complete 
surprise, attempted to get behind them by the road which crosses the 
railroad near the old Lillard place, between the Cleveland church 
and Philadelphia, but these pickets happened to see them and made 
their escape to Philadelphia. They reported to General Wolford that 
the Confederates were coming from Sweetwater. When the Con- 
federates found out that the pickets had not been captured they came 
on as rapidly as possible. About this time the Federals became aware 
that a force of the enemy were approaching from the direction of 
Loudon. They made a charge on Morrison's command with the in- 
tention of breaking through and escaping to Loudon, where the in- 
fantry was encamped. For the space of fifteen or twenty minutes 
there was a very hotly contested engagement, and although Colonel 
Morrison's command was forced back for a short distance, they suc- 
ceeded in blocking the exit of the Federals towards Loudon. About 
that time they were attacked by the forces under Colonel Dibrell 
from the Sweetwater side. Those of Wolford's command that were 
not taken prisoners crossed Sweetwater Creek at and below the town 
of Philadelphia, making a disorderly retreat, each man for himself, 
going around to the north of Morrison's command, most of them 
finally reaching Loudon. 

The forces reported as being under command of Colonel Wolford 
were the First, Eleventh and Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry and the 
Forty-fifth Ohio (mounted) Infantry. A rather amusing circum- 
stance of how tables can be turned is well illustrated by the following 
incident: Private Henry Sawtell, of Neil's Battalion, while on a 
scout near the Thomas Osborne place, ran upon a foraging party of 
Federal soldiers. He was captured and taken to Philadelphia and 
placed under guard. When the Confederate forces reached Philadel- 
phia they found that he had taken several of his guards prisoners 
and was on guard over them. 

The results of the battle may be seen by the official reports of the 
battle, by each side, appended. The Federal forces undoubtedly lost 
all of their baggage, wagons and cannon — as to the number of pris- 
oners taken there is some discrepancy. 

Data on the Battle at Philadelphia, Tenn., Fkom Official Records 

OF THE WaK of the REBELLION. 

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Vol. 

21, Part. 1. 

Report of Major-General A. E. Burnside to Major-General Grant: 

General : 

On the 20th instant. Colonel Wolford's Cavalry Brigade, at Phila- 
delphia, was surprised by the enemy's cavalry and driven back to 
Loudon, with the loss of six mountain howitzers and a considerable 



HISTOKY OF SWEETWATER VAUjEY 407 

number of men. Colonel Wolford reports his loss at 100. The enemy 
has been driven back again beyond Philadelphia, and are said to 
be concentrating at Sweetwater a heavy force of infantry, cavalry and 
artillery. The reports of the number of the enemy are indefinite, ex- 
cept as to the presence there of Stevenson's Division of Infantry and 
of some 3,000 or 4,000 cavalry. I have re-enforced the garrison of 
Loudon and shall leave for there at once; from there I will endeavor 
to telegraph you more definitely. We have had a good deal of rain. 
Trains late, and I fear much of our supplies will be very badly de- 
layed by high water and bad roads. It is reported from several 
sources that a considerable force under Joe Johnston has left Bragg's 
army. 

A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General. 

Report of Colonel Frank Wolford, First Kentucky Cavalry, com- 
manding cavalry brigade: 

Loudon, Oct. 20th, 1863. 

About ten o'clock this morning I got information that about 1,500 
Rebels had attacked my wagon train, six miles from camp. I sent 
Colonel Adams with the First and Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry, who 
got in tb.e rear of the enemy and were cut off by some 3,000 Rebels. 
I soon after got information that a large body of Rebels were coming 
up from Sweetwater. I then mustered up the rest of my men, amount- 
ing to about 700, and attacked them and drove them back several times. 
After driving, they re-enforced, attacking us from every side. Our 
artillery fired their last round. I rallied my men and charged through, 
saving most of men and several prisoners. We had several killed 
and several taken prisoners. I am confident we killed more of them, 
and took more prisoners than they did of us. We have lost some 
of our v/agons and baggage and some of our artillery — perhaps all 
of it. The enemy are in large force, both, infantry and artillery, with 
several heavy pieces of the latter. 

WOLFORD, Colonel. 
To Gen. Burnside. 

Return of casualties in the Union forces engaged at Philadelphia, 
Tenn., October 20th, 1863: 

Killed: 1 officer and 6 enlisted men. 
Wounded: 1 officer and 24 enlisted men. 
Captured or Missing: 7 officers and 440 enlisted men. Total, 479. 

Report of Colonel George G. Dibrell, Eighth Tennessee (Confed- 
erate), commanding cavalry brigade: 

Headquarters Second Cavalry Brigade, 

Philadelphia, October 20, 1863, 5 P. M. 
Dear Sir: 

The colonel commanding instructs me to say that he engaged the 
enemy in front of this place at 8 o'clock to-day. After a sharp 
artillery duel of an hour or more the guns of Colonel Morrison's 
Brigade were heard in the enemy's rear. Colonel Dibrell immediately 
charged into the town. The enemy was completely routed. We cap- 
tured all his wagons, ambulances, tents, cooking utensils, all his 
artillery, about 400 prisoners and at least that many small arms. The 
colonel cannot speak too highly of his officers and men. The rout 



408 HISTOBY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

is not yet over; prisoners, horses and mules are hourly coining in. 
Our loss is nothing. 

By order of Colonel G. G. Dibrell, commanding Second Cavalry 
Brigade. 

DIXON A. ALLISON, 
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. 
To Major-General Stevenson. 

Report of J. J. Morrison, First Georgia Cavalry, commanding 
cavalry brigade: 

Headquarters Second Cavalry Brigade, 

Lenoir's House, Philadelphia, Tenn., October 20th, 1863. 

General: 

I have the honor to state that, agreeable to your instructions, I 
succeeded in getting between Philadelphia and Loudon, after making 
a march of fifty miles in fifteen hours. Found the enemy (Colonel 
Wolford's Brigade) in line of battle. Sent one regiment to Loudon 
to make demonstration to prevent Colonel Wolford's force being aug- 
mented by forces from Loudon. I attacked him at once with the re- 
mainder of my forces, numbering 1,200. After a very severe fight, 
with twice my number pitted against me, supported by six pieces of 
artillery, I succeeded in completely routing him, capturing all of his 
artillery (six pieces), entire wagon train, with, many fire-arms and 
ammunition. Captured 400 prisoners. My loss will foot up 10 killed, 
68 wounded and 70 missing. The whole command acted very gal- 
lantly. I will report at full at earliest opportunity. 

I am, general, your obedient servant, 

J. J. MORRISON, 
Colonel, Commanding Second Cavalry Brigade. 

P. S.: Colonel Wolford fell back in great confusion upon four 
regiments of infantry at Loudon. Night prevents me from pursuing 
him. 

A REMINISCENCE OF COLONEL FRANK WOLFORD. 

Some time in September, 1863, Wolford's Brigade of Cavalry 
camped at Sweetwater. The space between the hotel and the big 
springs was then woodland, and was a favorite camping place for 
soldiers of both armies. A day or two after Colonel Wolford's com- 
mand came I went to the town of Sweetwater to look around. I 
asked some of the soldiers questions and displayed, as the soldiers 
thought, quite too much curiosity. So they proceeded to arrest me 
and took me before the Provost Marshal. He asked me what I was 
doing and why I came inside the lines. I told him I came on business 
and wished to see Colonel Wolford. He questioned me as to my sym- 
pathies in regard to the war. When I told him I was a Southern 
sympathizer he told me I would have to take the oath to support the 
United States government. I answered him I preferred not to do so. 
He said if I did not he would give me a nice little trip up to Camp 
Chase. I respectfully informed him that I did not see what good 
that would do as I was a non-combatant, and asked if I could see 
the commanding officer. I was detained some little time after that, 
when for some reason, Colonel Wolford came into the Provost's office. 
He may have heard that a spy had been arrested in camp. I ex- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 409 

plained to Colonel Wolford that some of the command were encamped 
on my father's land, tliat the soldiers being near the corn fields were 
taking corn. If this was according to his orders I would like to get 
something for it. He then told me he would have the commissary 
issue me a voucher for everything his soldiers took. I then told him 
my father was away from home and that my mother would like to 
have a few soldiers to guard our premises, and would prefer to have 
some Kentuckians. He replied that he would do so and "such as 
would give protection." I told him also that I would like to have 
a pass so that I could go in and out of the lines at any time so I 
could attend to whatever was needing looking after. He gave me the 
pass and at the same time he said to the Provost Marshal: "Captain, 
we are not making war on boys." This produced quite a change in 
his manner toward me. 

According to promise, he sent four guards, I think of the First 
Kentucky Cavalry, who were quite polite and attentive. While they 
stayed at our place they feasted on turkey, pies, cake and wine. They 
were relieved from other duties while on guard at our home, and 
when the command was ordered away, as I remember, in about ten 
days' time, they expressed very many regrets. 

I thought Colonel Wolford was a grand old man if he was sur- 
prised and did get whipped at Philadelphia. When the soldiers got 
corn and other supplies for the brigade, he gave me, in my father's 
name, vouchers, omitting the words "on proof of loyalty." This, too, 
when my father at that time was a refugee in Georgia. These were 
the only vouchers that were ever paid my father, I. T. Lenoir, or 
myself by the United States government. What a contrast was Wol- 
ford's conduct to that of Return J. Meigs, Claim Commissioner! One 
would expect of him, as his mother lived for a while in this Valley, 
and he was personally known to my father, that he would treat him 
with some measure of justice, but the claims for wood and ties, got 
for the use of the railroad taken over by th.e United States govern- 
ment, and for hay, corn and wheat, attested by vouchers and sworn 
to by reliable witnesses, filing with the same the oath of amnesty 
which I. T. Lenoir took at Loudon in 1864, after he returned home 
from Georgia, were disallowed by him and were refused reconsidera- 
tion. 

Loudon. 

Wlien I contemplated writing the history of the early- 
settlers of Sweetwater Valley it was my intention to 
take in that part of it which was formerly a part of 
Roane County, but time and space and the difficulty -of 
access to the records at Kingston prevented me from 
so doing. The task set for myself w^as greater than I 
thought. But as I have almost two years issue of the 
Loudon Free Press, which commenced publication on 
November 20, 1852, I feel that I ought to publish some 
excerpts from the same, the facts contained in which 
might otherwise not be preserved. Even previous to 
the publication of the Loudon Free Press there ap- 



410 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 

peared in th^ Athens Post of November 7, 1851, an ad- 
vertisement of James H. Johnston, stating that on 
Thursday, the 27th day of November, 1851, there would 
be a sale of 200 town lots at Blairsport or Blairs Ferry 
(afterwards Loudon) at public auction. I presume the 
sale took place. It was not stated what particular lands 
were to be sold. This sale was very widely advertised 
in papers from Richmond, Va., to Augusta, Ga. How 
many lots were sold or what prices they brought I have 
not found out. This was the first example of systematic 
*' booming" that I know of occurring in this part of East 
Tennessee. So the laying out of towns on paper, and 
the selling at auction, as in the late eighties and early 
nineties, was really nothing new to Loudon people. 

The editors and proprietors of the Loudon Free 
Press were Jno. W. and Samuel B. O'Brien. It was 
excellently printed on good linen paper and well edited. 
It contained many well written articles and various im- 
portant advertisements of railroad and large business 
enterprises. Not only those in Loudon but many from 
cities of Tennessee and large cities in the east. Among 
other things there was a half column advertisement of 
the Saturday Evening Post. There were also the fol- 
lowing advertisements : 

Orme, Wilson & Co., Merchants. This Wilson was 
R. T. Wilson, afterwards so well known as a banker in 
New York. Lenoir & Goddard, merchants in Philadel- 
phia, Teim. Notice May 13, 1853, of Wm. and W. A. 
Lenoir, executors of Wm. B. Lenoir, deceased. Adver- 
tisement of the firm of William, W. A., B. B., and I. P. 
Lenoir, cotton factors, millers, farmers and merchants 
at Lenoir's. On November 20, 1854, were also the law 
card's of Hopkins & Stephens, Welcker & Key, of Chat- 
tanooga, Tenn., Gahagan & Wright of Madisonville, 
William G. McAdoo, Thos. C. Lyon, Maynard & Vaughn 
of Knoxville, and N. A. Patterson of Kingston. 

Track laying of the E. T. & Ga. R. R. reached Blair's 
Ferry, afterwards Loudon, in May or June, 1852. This 
made Loudon the terminus of the railroad until 1856, 
on account of the difficulty at that time, of bridging the 
Tennessee River. This caused Loudon to be very much 
''boomed." The optimistic claimed that it would be- 
come a rival of Knoxville as it was exceedingly uncer- 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VALLEY 411 

tain when the railroad would be completed, and as Lou- 
don had railroad transportation to the south which 
Knoxville did not. 

In the issue of the Free Press of August 26, 1853, not- 
ing the town improvements it mentioned those who were 
about to complete buildings and residences, as follows: 
R. T. Wilson, E. P. Clark, James W. Clark, W. R. Hur- 
ley, H. Ingalls, W. B. Mclnturf, Joseph Rowan and L. 
A. Markum. The New School Presbyterian Church, the 
Episcopal Church, the parsonage were completed and 
the work on the Cumberland Presbyterian had been 
commenced. 

Some time in the year 1853, date not at hand, Loudon 
was incorporated, for the issue of the Free Press for 
jJanuary 11, 1854, stated that an election had been 
held, and that the following were elected: W. T. Low, 
mayor; H. Bogart, recorder; B. F. Davis, treasurer; R. 
T. Wilson, H. Ingalls, J. H. Leuty, and J. W. O'Brien, 
aldermen, Thomas Russell was unanimously elected 
city constable. 

Under the heading: Facts about the Miwassee and 
East Temiessee and Georgia Railroad, there is given, 
in this book, a schedule of trains between Loudon and 
Dalton, Ga., published in the Athens Post of August 10, 
1852, which recites that the ''down train" leaves at 4 
a. m. and the "up train" arrives at 6:35 p. m., making 
a round trip daily. In the Loudon Free Press of March 
14, 1854, the time of departure from Loudon for Dalton 
was 5 :45 a. m. and the time of arrival from Dalton was 
3 :09 p. m. 

The elevation of Loudon as given to the Free Press 
by Mr. Pritchard, chief engineer of the E. T. & G. R. R., 
is 814 feet above the sea level. 

Comparative population of Loudon and Sweetwater 
on the dates given below, taken from the United States 
census : 

Loudon. Sweetwater. 

1860. 1,292 not given 

1870. 1,357 1,609 

1880. 832 1,335 

1890. 942 879 

1900. 875 1,716 

1910. 995 1,850 



412 HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VATJiEY 

In the Free Press of July 25, 1854 is an editorial, 
"Come Back," pleading with those, who had fled from 
the cholera to return, as the panic had subsided, that the 
disease which was afflicting the people was not Asiatic 
cholera but w^as malignant cholera morbus. It says that 
there are a thousand and one silly reports circulating 
through the country. "To set these rumors aside we 
will state that with the exception of Mr. Strange there 
has not been a case since last Wednesday. Mr. Strange 
was attacked Tuesday night, he was relieved of cholera, 
and died on Friday of typhoid fever." The editorial 
goes on: 

"The weather continues warm but the atmosphere is quite lively 
and a gentle breeze is constantly playing through our office. So come 
back, ye fugitive inhabitants of Loudon! And, oh, ye Iron Horse! 
why standest thou quaking in the distance? We little thought that 
your iron nerve would quail at the sight of five or six cases of cholera. 
Oh, ye hotelkeepers, return! The danger is now past and you can 
all come back swearing that you were not scared. Since the 9th inst. 
we have had the following deaths in town, with cholera symptoms: 
N. D. Sutton, taken on Saturday about one o'clock, died Sunday about 
three o'clock; Mr. Taylor, a blacksmith, died on Saturday after a short 
Illness; Harvey Erskine, colored, taken on Sunday night, died after 
an illness of twelve hours; W. P. Truitt, taken on Sunday morning, 
died on Tuesday at three o'clock." 

Editorial a week later says: 

"Since our last we have had but one death by cholera in Loudon, 
Mrs. Dialtha Donohoe. One at Philadelphia, Mrs. J. W. Clark; one 
near Philadelphia, Mr. Gilbreath. * * * We verily believe there 
is less apprehension relative to cholera felt in Loudon than there is 
In any point in fifty or a hundred miles of this place." 

• . 

In the Athens Post of September 29, 1854, there is a 
comparative table of the rainfall in July, August and 
September, 1853 and 1854; for Nashville and vicinity: 





1853. 


1854. 


July 


7 inches 


1 1-2 inches 


Aug. 


6 inches 


1-2 " 


Sept. 


61-3 " 


1-4 ** 



Total 191-3 '' 21-4 



HISTORY OF SWEETWATER VAIXEY 413 

A difference of more than 17 inches in Nashville. It 
is probable the difference might have been equally as 
great in this section. This drouth may account for the 
terrible devastation of the cholera in the year of 1854. 

Afterthoughts. 

I hope this book will be criticised; for a work of this 
kind which is not will attract little attention ; but I trust 
that the criticisms will be made with some degree of 
fairness, just as I have tried to treat with fairness those 
I have written about. 

I will, no doubt, be blamed for mistakes I did not 
make and for many that I did make. I have endeavored 
to give the old settlers and their descendants, wherever 
they are found, with as great accuracy as I was able. 
Some, though not a large proportion, have failed to an- 
swer the letters addressed to them. Quite a few letters 
have been returned unclaimed, as those not living where 
written to at last address, or passed beyond the reach 
of the U. S. mail. 

I will be criticised for writing about some people I did 
give sketches of and because I failed to write of others 
I should have written about. Possibl}^ I did not have 
sufficient accurate information to justify. I have not 
tried to give a history of families who came to this sec- 
tion later than 1865, That is more than a half century 
ago. Even of those who came previous to that time, 
and did not stay long enough to leave their impress upon 
the country and were merely transients, it would hard- 
ly be expected I should treat. 

I will, doubtless, be blamed for not dwelling more at 
length on the material resources and manufactures of 
our section. But it must be remembered that previous 
to 1865 there were no mills of any kind, except a few 
small custom mills, and not a bank within the bounds 
of Sweetwater Valley until a much later date. The 
check and deposit habit had not been acquired. 

The old settlers of the valley were thrifty people but 
I have laid much greater stress on character than ac- 
cumulated land and dollars. 

What constitutes a community as well as a state has 
been fitly answered as follows: 



414 HISTOBY OF SWEETWATER VATJiEY 

"What constitutes a State? 

Not high raised battlements or labored mound, 
Thick wall or moated gate; 

Not cities proud with spires and turrets crowned, 
Not bays and broad-armed ports, 

Where, laughing at the storm, rich navies ride; 
Not starred and spangled courts. 

Where low-browed Baseness wafts perfume to Pride; 
No, men, high-minded men — 

Men who their duties know. 
But know their rights and knowing dare maintain; 

Prevent the long-armed blow. 
And crush the tyrant while th,ey rend the chain; 

These constitute a State." 

If I have not missed my estimation gravely, of such 
were those of our valley and with more excellent char- 
acteristics added thereto. 

I close this work with quite a feeling of relief. It has 
been much more troublesome, far more expensive and 
taken much longer time than I anticipated, even after 
the families whom I was investigating rendered me all 
the assistance in their power. Some had kept no rec- 
ords and many had had their records destroyed by war, 
flood and fire. It is also with a feeling of some sad- 
ness that I finish the compilation of the work. It ha^ 
brought me in personal touch, and also into correspond- 
ence w^ith many friends of my youth who I had almost 
forgotten or only faintly remembered; and in corre- 
spondence with them they brought to mind many cir- 
cumstances which but for that I would never have 
thought of again. 

The publication of this book about the old families 
may cause some who are dear friends or relatives to 
get into correspondence with each other and bring to 
their knowledge those who are far separated. 

I can not write finis to this book without making some 
acknowledgment to some who especially assisted me; 
most of these have been laides, who, as is usual, take 
more interest in personal history than men. I thank 
especially for assistance, Mrs. J. N. Heiskell, Miss Ran 
Yearwood, Mrs. Sarah Willson, of Niota, Tenn., Mr. W. 
P. Jones of Pond Creek, Mrs. Robert Stickley of Mem- 
phis, and Mrs, Julia R. Love, and the record clerks of 
Monroe County at Madisonville, Tenn., and Hon. W. L. 
Brown of Philadelphia. 

"With tliis I make my bow to the public as an author. 



H 15 89 vg 



ADDENDA 

p. 78 line 4 from bottom add O. King- Jones Jr. b. March 20 
1917. 

P. 110 line 11 from bottom add. Shed. March 10, 1917. 

P. Ill After paragraph about (7) Arthur B. Cannon add (8) 
William Harry, b. Feb. 13, 1877; now (1917) U, S. Post Master 
at Goodwin, Idaho. 

P. 116 insert as Heading- John Smith, after line 6. 

P. 140 line 12 add She (E. P. T.) died Aug-. 8 1911. 

P. 176 5th line elimints " "he d. in 1871" and read She 
d. in 1908. 

P. 176 8th line add He died June 16, 1913 



ERRATA 

P. 224 in 3rd line from heading- "Plan of Streets'' for tract" 
read track. 

P. 316 18th line eliminate "Five. Arthur Bruce, fourth son of" 
read Two. P'^rank Heiskell, first son of R. F. and E. R. Scrug-g-s 

On pag-e316 read children of Frank H. and Anne Scrug-g-s in- 
stead of "Frank and Marg-aret Scrug-g-s. 

P. 3I7 3rd line. Eliminate d— Add He is now clerk in a store 

P. 347 line 14 read 1853 for 1835. 

On last p. for "who" read whom I had forgotten. 

On last page read ladies for "laides" — 



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